The Price
by iwantsprezzatura
Summary: "I never forget my deals, you taught me that. But I want you to be... so happy. Which is why I'm not going to collect." - After failing to rescue Henry and Bae, Mr Gold remembers someone from his past who might just be able to help them. - Season 3 AU - RumplexOC - please read&review
1. Prologue

**Hi there.  
>Word of warning: when I wrote this (for NaNo) I had seen everything up to 3x04 (I guess? It was Nasty Habits), so it goes AU after that and pretty much stays there.<br>This is only the prologue and the first real, long chapter will be up tomorrow.**

**I apologize for any linguistic mistakes, seen as I'm not a native English speaker. Please bear with me :)  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, any of the characters, places or storylines that you recognize. **

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><p><strong>PROLOGUE<strong>

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><p>"Gold? Is that you?"<p>

He stepped into the clearing, still a little shaken by the freezing spell he had been forced to endure earlier. Then again, that spell most certainly was not what troubled him most. His son's lack of faith in him had put them in an even weaker position; Henry was in Pan's hands again.

He looked up to find that the group had gathered around him and they were all still alive and well. For the most part, that was almost relieving; he could, of course, have gone without Hook.

"Yes, it is me."

Emma looked him up and down in a hurry. "Are you all right? Did you get to Henry?"

"Do I look like I did?"

"Well, no," she admitted. "Where were you all this time, we would have needed you-"

"I'm inclined to believe that, dearie, but I came, after all, very close to succeeding."

"So, what? You know where he is?"

He sighed and set down on a stump, attempting to grant his bad leg some rest. "I've seen him. And Bae-"

"Neal is here?" Emma exclaimed.

"He fell through the portal," Regina said calmly. "He died."

"No, no, he is very much alive. I'm afraid I lost him, though."

"You found your son that you believed to be dead – and then you lost him," Regina sneered. "Why, aren't you our saviour?"

He glared at her, yet she seemed unfazed. Emma sighed heavily and sank onto a rather large stone.

"What are we gonna do now? If even you can't stop Pan-"

"There might be someone," he said slowly. He was not sure how to go about this – he was not at all certain of the success of such a plan. On his way here, he had given it a great deal of thought and still, the plan relied too much on uncertainties.

"You want to bring someone else into this?"

He desperately wanted to ignore the pirate, but he did raise a significant question. "Yes. See, the problem is that Pan controls Neverland's magic – it's why, even if we do get Henry – which is more or less impossible – we don't get to flee."

He did notice the awfully suspicious glance shared between the pirate and the prince and he briefly wondered what they were up to before turning his attention to the more urgent matters at hand.

"Who could possibly do something about it?" Regina asked, stepping closer again. "If even you can't-"

"It's why I used the word 'might'. Even though I'm certain that someone could, I'm not sure if that someone will."

"Who?" It was Snow White who had finally stepped forward. "Who do you want to bring?"

* * *

><p>"Are you sure this will work?" Emma asked sceptically as she brought another arm full of firewood.<p>

"Not at all," he answered. "But I think I might just be able to reach out to her. Magic lands don't lie that far apart."

"This is madness," Regina said decidedly, she, too, bringing some wood. "If it was so easy-"

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm aware of possible limitations."

"If Pan controls the magic here," the prince asked. "How does yours even work?"

"Magic is a rather strange thing," he informed shortly. "One can't even begin to understand it." Yes, he thought. That was definitely true.

"Well then," Regina said, lighting the fire with a swift motion of her hand. "Do it, Gold."


	2. Neverland

**Chapter 1, as promised, and thanks to everyone who read and to the person that alerted this story.**

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><p><strong>Neverland<strong>

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><p>I awoke to a rather strange feeling. As if something from another world and another time had touched me. I stared up at the ceiling, wonderfully crafted and covered in the painting of a spring meadow.<br>I sighed heavily. Another dream about him? And yet, it had seemed so real this time. Strangely, too, I felt that he had not been in _his_ land. He always was in my dreams.

Restless, I decided to get up already. None of the other priestesses would be up yet, but that was of little importance to me. I couldn't very well remain lying in bed after such a dream.  
>I got to my feet and almost stumbled. The feeling had returned. Screaming in the back of my head and yet so far away that I could not make out what was being said; the only thing I knew for sure was that it was him.<p>

Was his presence now even hounding me in my waking hours?

Admittedly, the dreams seemed to have increased over the last few months. For the past twenty years, at least, I had believed myself completely detached from him. Suddenly, though, the dreams had started up. I had relived scenes from the past, over and over again as if to mock me for the confidence I had in myself.

Carefully, I straightened up again and walked to the window. It was still dark outside, naturally, as it was still months until Beltane would be celebrated. I went to light a candle. As the light erupted, I went dizzy again.

A fire burning high between trees and his voice, his voice calling.

I took a deep breath, trying to pull myself back into reality. It couldn't be. It was simply not possible. If he was still alive – and that, in itself, could not be proven – he did not have any magic. Even if he had wanted to contact me, and why would he, he could not have. He had gone to a land without magic as it had been his goal all along. He could not be calling for me.

The candle had dropped to the floor and expired. I bent down to pick it up.

"Milady?"

I turned my head slightly as I rose up again. "Good morning, Elaine," I greeted carefully. "I'm sorry if I woke you, I seem to be rather clumsy today."

"Well, it is very early," the girl said good-naturedly. "May I?"

She took the candle from me and proceeded to light it on the candle she, herself, had brought.  
>"What awoke you so early, milady?"<p>

I thought about telling her of the weird feeling, but I felt that this was not to be shared with the girl. This was not to be shared with anyone. None of them could even come close to understanding what it felt like to be touched by another one's magic.

"Just a bad dream."

"I'm sorry," she offered at once.

I nodded slightly, still distracted by the incessant feeling. Again, I grasped the back of a stool close by to keep myself steady. The fire again. _A land were you never... were you never... land..._

"Milady?" Elaine had hurried to join me. "Are you all right?"

"Quite," I muttered. "Just feel a little dizzy."

"Maybe you should lie down again-"

"No," I said matter-of-factly. "I will do anything but that."

I still found it impossible to believe that it would be him calling for me – but maybe I had just mistaken another's presence for his. A part of me screamed that it was unlikely, impossible even and yet the more rational part of me considered this possibility.

"I'm going to have to meditate," I informed Elaine swiftly. "And I'll need to be alone."

"Milady, are you sure that-"

"I'm absolutely sure," I said. "Now please, Elaine. Leave."

The uncertainty radiated of the girl, but she did as she was told anyway. I watched as she left hurriedly and pulled the large doors shut behind her.  
>I sank to the floor and as soon as I closed my eyes, the images were coming back.<p>

Not only the fire now, but a clearing. Several people were surrounding that fire but I could not make out a single face. The clearing was surrounded by trees that seemed to be off the purest green. And then, there were the words again. _A land were you never... were you never..._ I concentrated hard, trying to pick up the rest of the phrase. _A land were you never... land were you never grow old._

I sighed heavily, opening my eyes again and abandoning the connection. Neverland.

Now, it seemed clear to me that this wasn't about _him_ at all; it was probably just Peter Pan messing around with his magic again. The boy seemed to think that he could do as he pleased; well, the line was crossed when he bothered me with his strange doings.

"Elaine!"

The doors opened at once and girl rushed in, clearly having waited behind that door as to be quick should she be needed. She was a sweet enough girl, I figured, but the obedience was driving me nuts.

"I need clothes for wandering," I ordered. "Good, stable things, things that can get a little messy."

"Where are you going, milady?"

"I'm going to Neverland."

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><p>"She heard it."<p>

"Are you kidding me?" Regina asked loudly. "Nothing happened."

"Well, magic isn't always pompous," he said, smirking slightly.

He had felt her presence very clearly just half a minute ago. If nothing else, then curiosity would drive her here.

"I hoped we'd at least see some kind of response," Emma stated.

"You still lack faith," he said, extinguishing the flame easily.

"Gold!" Charming exclaimed. "Are you sure?"

"But of course," he said easily. "Once she's in this world, she'll find us."

"How will she even get here?" Regina said, obviously fuming. "Does she have a portal or-"

"Oh, she doesn't need one," he said merrily.

"And how will she find us here?" Hook demanded. "Neverland's not a small place-"

"She will find us," he snapped at the pirate. "You'll see."

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><p>"Stop!"<p>

Eyebrows rising to indefinite heights, I stopped in my tracks as four boys jumped out of the bushes and spread to a semi-circle before me.

"You're not allowed here!"

"Felix, is that you?" I asked. "I've come to speak to Pan."

"He's not seeing anyone right now."

"Guess what, I don't care."

I stepped forward and they lowered their lances toward me. "You're being ridiculous," I told him. "Step aside, or I'll make you."

"Now, now, that won't be necessary."

I turned slowly to come face to face with the knowing smirk on Peter Pan's face. "Just the man I've been searching for."

"Not a man," he said. "Never going to be."

"Shame," I said.

He still smirked as he stepped past me to order his boys. "Get back to the camp. Make sure no one leaves, no one enters. We had enough last night."

"I can imagine," I muttered.

He turned to frown at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Whatever you've been cooking up, I want you to stop it. Your magic, it's calling out to me, it's keeping me from sleeping."

"Now, but I haven't done anything."

"Don't lie, dearie. I don't like it."

"But I'm not lying," he said, smiling broadly. Somehow, no matter how merry he seemed, it never appeared to be genuine. "I've done nothing out of the ordinary – where magic is concerned, at least. And that is, after all, the only thing that concerns you."

I searched his face, trying to make out what he was hiding. "I felt someone from Neverland reaching out to me. It could have only been you."

"But we have guests!" Pan exclaimed happily.

I gritted my teeth. Guests were what Pan said if he meant prisoners. For this island was a prison. No one could leave if they had not been granted special permission by Pan himself – and who would he grant it to? Of course, there was one obvious exception to the rule

"Guests?" I replied. "Where might I find them?"

"Oh, I wouldn't know. Somewhere on the island. I'm sure you can help yourself."

"Always the gentleman," I bit back.

His smirk broadened and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm warning you, Pan," I called over my shoulder as I made to leave. "No funny business."

I got no response.

* * *

><p>"This is senseless," Regina stated bitterly. "Why would we be moving when we have-"<p>

"Because we haven't called her to a specific place," he explained calmly. "It's not like I can summon her."

"Well that would have been fortunate," Emma dead-panned as she caught up to him. "Why again are we moving away from the shore?"

"She is likely to go see Pan first if she didn't figure out who was calling for her. I want to be closer by. Speed things up."

"And here I thought you were a man not to be mistaken with any other," Regina sneered.

"Please do stop snapping at each other," Snow White said. "It doesn't help us."

"Hold on!" David called from the far back and he turned to see what caused the delay. "There's someone in the bushes!"

At once, swords, arrows and magic were drawn. Indeed, there was a rustling in the bushes, a silent muttering and then, she emerged.

She froze as she found Charming's sword being pointed at her face. "What the-?"

Her eyes had flickered along the path and landed on him, sticking to him as if glued. With a mere wave of her hand, she brushed the sword away and took a few steps in his direction. She stood, eyeing him from head to toe as if not quite believing her eyes.

"Rumpelstiltskin?"

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><p><strong>Please do feel free to share your opinion with me in a review. It would be greatly appreciated :) <strong>


	3. The Deal

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, alerted and most of all to the people who reviewed. It's greatly appreciated :)  
><strong>**Flashbacks are, for better separation, in _italics_.**

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><p><strong>The Deal<strong>

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><p>"<em>It's no use!" I exclaimed. "All I'll do is blow the whole thing up."<br>_

_"You need to concentrate," the priestess scolded. "You can do it."  
><em>

_Frustrated, I stared at the pile of wood in front of me. Lighting it up as such would not be a problem. The problem was that with it, I'd probably burn the whole field down. The experiences of the past week had me on my toes around fire._

"_Again, please, Morgaine."_

_I closed my eyes, trying to bundle the energy, trying to push it into form and direction, letting it do exactly what I wanted-_

_But I felt it slip away from me, the little control I had over my magic dissolving. Scared, I broke it off._

"_It doesn't work, I can't control it."  
><em>

_"Oh, but of course you can, you just have to-"  
><em>

_"I don't have to do anything," I snapped. "You're not helping!"_

_She looked taken aback at my sudden outburst and I turned away so I would not have to watch her hurt expression. It was just too much. Too much power. None of them would ever understand. What was I supposed to do? Beltane was just two months away and, having turned sixteen, I was supposed to light the fires. But how could I? I was more of a risk than a blessing. _

"_Milady, please," the older priestess started. "If you were to focus-"_

"_And how?" I asked furiously, whirling around to her again. "All you keep doing is telling me to focus, but how? How am I supposed to control this? You have done nothing to help me with it!"_

"_Please, I have taught a lot of girls like yourself how to-"  
><em>

_"But you have never taught the Lady, have you?" I demanded. "It looks like I need to find another teacher."_

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><p>"Rumpelstiltskin?" I asked, taking another step towards him. "Is that really you?"<p>

"But of course I am, dearie."

I gave short, incredulous laugh and then rushed forward to hug him. He stumbled a little and I drew back, still smiling. "Sorry, I forgot about the leg – how are you here?"

"Won't you introduce us, crocodile?"

I turned slightly to look at the man who had spoken. Messy dark hair was falling into his eyes and he smirked as he saw me taking in the hook he wore instead of a hand.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Captain Hook," he said, reaching out take my hand, bending slightly forward. With no more than a raised eyebrow my magic sent him stumbling backwards.

"Don't touch me."

I had heard stories about that man, the worst from Rumple himself.

"Not a fan of pirates, are you, woman?"

"Oh, I love pirates. But I don't see one. All I see is an arrogant fool who lacks a hand."

Hook glared and I turned back to Rumple, who was smirking at the pirate.

"I think he's right, though. Introductions are in order."

"Yes, yes, they are. So, I guess you've heard of Snow White and Prince Charming?" He was pointing at a man and a woman standing close by, watching me warily.

"Of course I have. And I know you," I said, turning to the dark haired woman. "You are the Evil Queen."

"I do prefer Regina," she bit back sourly.

"My apologies," I said. "There's one left, then."

"I'm Emma," the woman said and I noted how here hand still hovered over the pommel of her sword.

"The Emma?" I asked, looking around to Rumple.

"The Emma," he said.

"You know me?" she asked, clearly confused.

"Well he was obsessed with you once he knew your name. Wouldn't stop scribbling it."

"He was in a cell," Snow White exclaimed. "He was not supposed to see anyone."

"Oh, I'm sorry, love. You thought that would stop him?"

"Who are you?" she asked, stepping forward.

"I'm Morgaine. Lady of the Lake. High Priestess of Avalon. Keeper of all magic," I added. "You're cute little spell to keep him in, couldn't keep me away."

"You're kidding." Regina was staring accusingly at Rumple. "You brought the Lady of the Lake – you told us she was just a powerful sorceress! You told us-"

"I told you she was powerful and I didn't lie, did I?" he asked, nodding to me. "It's good you came. We need your help."

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><p><em>Help. I thought desperately as I walked the woods. I need help. <em>

_In my anger at the elders who refused to resign me another teacher, I had somehow managed to transport myself away. It appeared that I was able to press my magic into an acceptable form when I was angry. Since then, though, my anger had wound down considerably and I was stuck. How was I going to get back now? It wasn't just a long journey – I had wound up in a different world all together. Without magic, I would never be able to return._

"_My, my, what do we have here?"  
><em>

_I whirled around to see who the voice belonged to. I found it to be a rather strange man leaning against a tree. His skin had a peculiar texture and an even stranger colour, hovering somewhere between gold and green. What struck me most, though, were his eyes. Of a colour that I couldn't quite place, his pupils didn't seem to dilate. _

"_Who are you?" I asked, trying to sound braver than I felt. _

_He bowed deep, almost as if to mock me. "Rumpelstiltskin."  
><em>

_"Rumpel- no," I said, taking a step back. "You are the Dark One."  
><em>

_He straightened up, his strange eyes sparkling with amusement. "My reputation precedes me. Excellent."  
><em>

_I suppressed a shiver. Most of Viviane's scrolls dealt with her dislike for the Dark One. She had believed him to cause an unbalance and had tried repeatedly to take his magic. But magic didn't just evaporate and she had never been able to predict where it would go until she finally accepted that it was an impossible task. That, of course, did not make the Dark One any less dangerous. _

"_This is anything but excellent," I told him coldly. "If you'll excuse me-"  
><em>

_I turned around, hoping that he would just let me leave me. I had no such luck. Out of the blue, he appeared again in front of me. _

"_How rude," he said. "Won't you tell me your name?"_

_I considered him and finally relented. "It's Morgaine."  
><em>

_"Morgaine – as in the Lady of the Lake?"  
><em>

_I squared my shoulders as he walked around me. "Yes, indeed."  
><em>

_He giggled madly. "Why would the Lady of the Lake need _my_ help?"  
><em>

_"I don't need your help," I snapped at him._

"_Oh, but you called for it, dearie," he said happily. "Why else would I be here?"_

"_Are you done wasting my time?" I asked coldly. "I'd like to leave."  
><em>

_"Ah, but that's it, isn't it?" he said, coming to a halt in front of me again. "You came here but you don't know how to get back. Quite the predicament." His eyes shone even brighter as he looked me up and down amusedly. "You can't use your magic," he stated. "Oh, this is gold."  
><em>

_"Great. Now that we talked about my uselessness, can we please part ways?"  
><em>

_"And then, how do you get back?" he asked._

_I frowned at him. "Are you offering your help?"  
><em>

_"I'm offering you a deal."_

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><p>We were seated on the edge of a small spring, as the group filled up their water bottles.<p>

"So, let me get this straight," I said slowly. "Peter Pan kidnapped your grandson, who just so happens to be the son of the Saviour and the stepson of the Evil Queen."

"I wish I would have gotten it right so fast."

I frowned at him. "You must have known. Things like this don't just happen to you."

"Well," he said slowly. "I didn't have any magic, remember? Meaning, I also had no sight."

I sighed heavily. "Listen, I can't just get him out of there for you."

"Why not?" he asked desperately. "Whatever he plans to do to Henry certainly isn't something good."

"You never were up to any good either, love. Doesn't mean I can stop you. Pan's not doing anything to endanger the balance. I have no right to interfere."

"So," Emma said, sitting on a rock next to us. "What does that mean – the balance?"

"We believe," I said slowly. "That there is a balance. Nature produces it. For every power, there is a weakness; for everything evil, there is something good. Now, it can happen that there is an unbalance that nature itself can't solve. It would be my task to ensure that balance is established again."

"Very nicely recited," Rumple said dryly. "You never cared about balance when it came to me."

"I'm telling you, I've told you a thousand times, the dagger is the weakness to your power, balance is perfectly save."

"Yes, but I own the dagger."

"Well that is just tough luck." I shot him a look and turned to Emma again. "The point is, I can't just take away somebody's magic because he's doing something bad. That's just life."

"Please," Snow White and her prince joined us. "You have to help us. There is no other way."

"None of us has enough magic to get Henry, or even escape. Not even him," Regina spat.

"You are our last hope," Snow White said pleadingly.

I sighed heavily, looking between them and finally turned to Rumple again. "Well. Then maybe we should make a deal."

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><p>"<em>A deal?" I asked warily. "What kind of deal?"<em>

"_Well, I would teach you how to control your magic so that you can get back."  
><em>

_I watched him closely as I asked, "Can you get me back by Beltane?"  
><em>

_"That only depends on you, dearie."  
><em>

_I bit my lip. I had to find a way back and I had to find it soon. The Dark One was my best bet. Also, I had been searching for a new teacher anyway – obviously, he had mastered his magic quite well. Why not take what was so freely offered?  
><em>

_"And what would be your price?" I inquired. _

_He cackled again, stepping a bit closer. "Just a small favour, really."_

_I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him. "Name your price, Rumpelstiltskin."_

"_I want you to _never_ even attempt to take my magic away. I don't want you to ever work against me."  
><em>

_I narrowed my eyes at him. "They told me you were dangerous."  
><em>

_"Ah, but, dearie, I'm your only option."  
><em>

_I hesitated. Indeed, Viviane's scrolls had not spoken in favour of the Dark One. Yet here I was, trapped in his world, and he was completely right. "Fine," I said. "I won't take your magic away."  
><em>

_He giggled again in delight and extended his hand to me. "Deal."_

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><p><strong>Maybe you need a bit more info... Morgaine is inspired - very obviously - by Marion Zimmer Bradley's rendition of the Arthurian legend. She wrote a book called "The Mists of Avalon", which is very famous, so you may have heard of it. It's a great book and I can only recommend it. Anyway, it follows Morgan Le Faye, who eventually becomes Lady of The Lake. <strong>

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review :)**


	4. The Heart of the Truest Believer

**Guys, please. Silence is silver, reviews are golden. I mean, I can see people reading and alerting and fav'ing, (thank you!), so - maybe a review or two might be really nice :)  
><strong>**I don't want to complain too much. Enjoy the next chapter.**

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><p><strong>The Heart of the Truest Believer<strong>

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><p>"You again," Felix stated as he stepped in my way. "I told you, Peter doesn't want you near the camp."<p>

"Great," I said, smiling. "'Cause I was hoping to speak to you."

The boys' eyes narrowed suspiciously at me. "Why would you want to speak to me?"

"Ah," I said good-naturedly, "See, your guests, they've told me quite a funny story. That you got a new boy in your group."

"Yes," he said cautiously. "What about him?"

"Well, he doesn't appear to be very lost," I stated. "He's got his whole family searching for him."

"Doesn't mean he doesn't feel lost," Felix said defiantly.

"Please," I said, stepping closer. "Don't play dumb with me, love. Pan took him, specifically him. Tell me why."

"I don't need to tell you anything," he said, raising his chin. "Peter wouldn't want me to."

"Wouldn't he?" I mused. "Who're you standing guard over?"

"Won't tell you," Felix said and I saw the muscles on his jaw tightening.

"Come on, Felix," I coaxed. "Why this defiance? I'm not working against you."

"Yes, you are," he said quickly. "Peter warned us about you."

"See, you've got two options, now," I told him. "One, we have a talk, a real one, including the trade of information, or, two, I'll just plant you in the ground and go have a look myself."

He didn't answer and I sighed heavily. With a wave of my hand, I had him planted in the ground to the neck.

"Your fault, dearie," I told him. "And don't even bother to scream or I'll take your voice as well."

With that, I walked past him.

"Wait – wait, I'll tell you about the boy."

Smiling, I stopped and turned around again. Crouching in front of him, I said, "Talk."

* * *

><p>"Can we really trust her, Gold?"<p>

Emma was watching him closely as he renewed the paint on his face. "I don't know if you can."

"Do you trust her?"

"With my life."

"Well," Charming interfered, walking up to the two. "This isn't about your life. It's about Henry's."

"Listen, she and I made a deal. No one breaks deals with me, least of all her."

"What did you promise her, Gold?" Emma demanded.

"My business."

"It's not your business," she told him sternly. "We are all in this together. We need to work together."

He huffed and made to stand.

"What did you promise?" Emma asked again.

"Just a favour."

"A specific one?"

"No."

He watched from the corner of his eyes as Emma and her father exchanged a look. The prince shook his head slightly. Very well then. He did not care if they believed him or not. He had no use for their trust in him. He had to admit that he was a little worried, though. He had taught her after all and she would know how to make the most of a deal.

But then, all that mattered very little. The only thing that mattered was Henry. For getting him back, he was willing to pay any price. Maybe, he thought bitterly, he would already be dead before she could even demand her price. Staring into the darkness of the woods, he hoped that she would be back soon.

* * *

><p>"He said magic's been dying. He said the boy would be the solution," Felix said hurriedly and I frowned at him.<p>

"And why would the boy be able to do that?"

"Said he's the descendant of the greatest light and the greatest dark magic."

I huffed in annoyance. The story lacked significantly in credibility. The idea that magic was dying was just ridiculous. Then again, could it be that Neverland's magic was fading? Or was it just Pan's magic that was? After all, most of Neverland's wonders depended solely on him.

"You're lying," I stated, standing up and hoping to suggest that I would leave him planted in the ground.

"No, no, I'm telling the truth, I swear!"

"Love, please, you're being ridiculous. If magic was dying, don't you think _I_ would know?"

He swallowed hard, doubt swirling in his eyes. The boy must have known that I had a point. After all, I was said to be pure magic; how would I not know if my very essence was fading?

"I can only tell you what Peter told me. And I'm telling the truth, I swear-"

"But you left something out, didn't you?" I said, crouching in front of him again. "How would the boy bring magic back, huh? He would just dream it and it appear as things do in Neverland? We both know that wouldn't work. And Pan knows it as well."

"I really-"

"You know the drill," I said, standing up to stretch again. "Tell me the truth, love."

I watched as Felix hesitated and finally admitted, "I may have heard something."

"I'm all ears," I said merrily.

"Pan told the boy that he's got the Heart of the Truest Believer."

I froze, staring at him. "You're joking."

"Not in the mood," he reminded me coldly.

"You are sure?" I asked. "The Heart of the Truest Believer?"

"If I say so! I told you everything," he added. "Let me go."

"You said that before," I reminded him lazily.

"Please. That's really all I know."

I considered him for a moment and then waved my hand to free him. He gasped and frantically dusted of his clothes.

"Now, love, I'm sure you understand. I can't have you running to Pan. He mustn't know I've been asking questions."

"What-?"

"_Forget_," I whispered.

His face went blank before he started blinking rapidly. "What the hell is going on?"

"I wouldn't know. You seem to have been dreaming for a minute there, dearie."

His eyes focused on me and his expression went stern. "I told you," he said. "Peter doesn't want you near the camp."

"My apologies," I said, smiling at him brightly. "I'll be on my way then."

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes to the same spring that I had left them on earlier that day. At once, both Emma and Regina hurried towards me.<p>

"Have you seen Henry?"

"Is he well?"

"What's Pan up to-?"

"I haven't seen him," I said curtly, brushing past them. "Rumple? We need to have a talk."

He stepped out of the woods at the other end of the clearing, brows furrowed in worry. "What's happened?"

"Let's walk," I said swiftly, and he followed me on the heel as I headed for the trees.

"What's going-?"

"I don't want them to hear us just now," I informed him shortly and stopped. Taking a deep breath, I drew a sound-proof bubble around us. "I talked to Felix. He told me Pan said that magic was dying."

He looked a little startled at this news. "How can magic die?"

"It can't, it's complete nonsense," I said. "But it appears that is what he told his boys. Luckily, Felix overheard something else."

"And what would that be?"

"Well-"

"Morgaine, speak up."

I glared at him. "He said Henry has the Heart of the Truest Believer. Rumple, Pan wants to become pure magic."

He stared at me. "No. No, he wouldn't..."

"Yes," I said. "He would."

"But that means – if Pan were to do that ritual-"

I nodded gravely. "Henry would die."

* * *

><p><strong>There's that review box right below this. Please use it and then, have yourself a lovely day :)<strong>


	5. No Doubt

**So, uh... people are still alerting and fav'ing (thank you!), but no one's reviewing. And it's sad. Honestly, I'd like it very much if you reviewed. I mean, I'm not going to threaten to not update or anything, that would just be ridiculous. But a comment or two would make me very, very happy.  
><strong>**That said, please enjoy the next chapter :)**

* * *

><p><strong>No Doubt<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Ugh!" I groaned. "It still doesn't work."<br>_

_"You're not focusing, dearie."  
><em>

_I wanted to scream or punch him in the face. Maybe both. Instead, I settled with just glaring at him. "You're not helping. This is a disaster. Had I wanted people to tell me to focus, I would have just stayed at home."  
><em>

_"But you didn't," he snapped. _

"_Well, no. You're supposed to teach me, why don't I learn anything, huh?"  
><em>

_"How are you supposed to learn if you can't even light a candle?"  
><em>

_"But that's just my problem!" I spat at him. Frustrated, I brushed past him to leave the library._

"_How did you get here?"  
><em>

_I whirled around at the top of the stairs. "I told you."  
><em>

_Impatiently, he waved his hand. "Tell me again."  
><em>

_"I had a fight with the Elders," I summed up. "I was angry, I wanted to leave – and I was gone. Turned up again in the Enchanted Forest."_

"_Ah," he said, walking towards me. "So you did control it then."  
><em>

_I stared at him and finally said, "Yes. Obviously."  
><em>

_"Good. I want you to remember that anger and then light that candle."_

_I sighed in frustration and turned to the candle again. _Light_, I thought, _light. Light up!

"_It can't do it."  
><em>

_"Well then," Rumpelstiltskin said coldly. "You're just wasting my time. You can let yourself out."  
><em>

_My anger welled up inside me violently. "Oh no!" I called after him as he walked to the stairs. "We had a deal!"  
><em>

_He turned very slowly, a smug smile playing on his lips. "And I intend to honour it."  
><em>

_In the circular room, every single candle had lightened up._

* * *

><p>Rumple was shaking his head. "We can't let him kill Henry."<p>

"And we won't," I said. "I can't let him become purely magical."

"How does he know of the ritual anyway?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea. It's one of Avalon's most well-guarded secrets. I only ever told you about it. So unless you go shouting things like that from the rooftops, I honestly have no idea how he would know."

He started pacing up and down in front of me. "So... what are we going to do know?"

"I suggest the following," I said slowly. "We need to gain time, so I'll tell Pan I know. Stall him."

"He will never blow it off."

"No, of course not. But he'll go and try to find a way around me, which gives us time to work out an actual plan."

"I don't see why you can't just get Henry out of there-"

"And if I would, how would you all leave? I can jump from here to Avalon, but I can't take any of you with me. Let alone a whole pirate ship."

"We can leave Hook," he said swiftly.

"Well you could. But I doubt the Saviour and her parents would be in favour of that."

He snorted, but he did not disagree.

"Seriously, Rumple. We need to get Pan to let you leave or release his hold on Neverland."

He nodded gravely, his gaze travelling back the path to where the rest of the group was waiting.

"Fine," he said slowly. "I'll think of something."

I nodded as well, watching him closely as he kept staring into nothingness.

"Hey," I said, reaching out to touch his cheek. "I know you worry about the boy, but we'll find a way. I promise."

He met my eyes and I sighed a little. It was strange, seeing him like this. Was this what he had looked like before becoming the Dark One? At the very least, I could get used to the warm brown colour his eyes now held.

"After all," he said. "We made a deal. And no one breaks deals with me."

"Wouldn't dream of it, love."

* * *

><p><em>I grinned brightly, turning around and around in the rain. I couldn't believe that it was so <em>easy_._

"_What are you doing there, dearie?"  
><em>

_I looked up to find him leaning out of a window several stores up the castle. "I don't even get wet!" I called up to him. _

_He appeared right in front of me, taking me in as I stood in the pouring rain. "Not impressed."  
><em>

_Contrary to his statement, he looked incredibly pleased with himself. _

"_Well, I am," I said, still smiling. "A month ago, I couldn't even dream about this."  
><em>

_"Well, you can leave soon, then," he said._

_The smile drained from my face as suddenly, the raindrops did hit me again. "So eager to see me go?"_

"_See, I don't get to spin with you occupying every spare time I have. There's always noise. It's keeping me from thinking."_

_I shot him an incredulous look. He could not be serious. "I don't know why you're spinning anyways. It's not like you need the gold."  
><em>

_"Aren't you listening?" he snapped. "I think. Make plans."  
><em>

_"I'm so sorry to stop you from scheming," I bit back. "Maybe I should leave right now."  
><em>

_"Do it, then."  
><em>

_"Fine."  
><em>

_"Fine."_

* * *

><p>The first thing I noted was the rich smell of earth that occurred after rain. I opened my eyes to find that the fields of Avalon had indeed been graced by water.<p>

I took a deep breath and hurried forwards, towards the abbey.

"Morgaine!"

An elder woman was hurrying towards me and I was once again struck by the time that had passed. I remembered her growing up with me and now, so many years later, she was old while I remained young...

"Adriane," I said hurriedly. "I need to talk to the Elders now. We have a problem on our hands."

* * *

><p>"We can't possibly let you take that scroll with you."<p>

I raised an eyebrow at Adriane who was eyeing me sternly. From the corner of my eye, I saw several of the Elders nodding their agreement.

"I don't see how you would stop me," I told her matter-of-factly.

"The Elder's Council-"

"Is meant to advise the Lady of the Lake, not to disable her work. We are not discussing facts, such as me taking the scroll along. I can't possibly learn it by heart right now, I'll need to go over it again."

"You are going to show it to him," one of the old priestesses said, shaking her head. "The Dark One is not to be trusted."

"Well, I definitely trust him over Pan," I said. "Besides, he's already seen it. Rumpelstiltskin has no desire to become purely magical, it's of no appeal to him. He is not the danger in our situation. I came back to get the scroll and to tell you where I'm going. So that, in the case that Pan might manage to take me out – you are prepared."

Adriane watched me worriedly. "Do you think that is a legit possibility?"

"I think Pan to be unscrupulous. If he gets a chance, he'll take it. I promise to be careful for your sake and the sake of Avalon as much as for the boy we are trying to save. But there's no guarantee. There never is."

The Elders kept muttering to each other while I pocketed the scroll. It was ancient, very hard to read but not as mazy as Viviane's notes had always been.

"Well," Adriane finally spoke up. "It's good you told us, at least. Though we are not in favour of you taken that with you we trust your judgement. We hope to find you back soon."

"Excellent," I said. "That's all I wanted to hear."

Adriane followed me on the heel as I strut outside and towards my room. Elaine greeted me at once, hurrying to comply with my orders of packing warm and comfortable clothes as well as several blankets.

"You think it will take a while?"

"We don't do act on the moment. We think things through."

"We?" Adriane repeated bitterly. "You and the Dark One."

"Well, he was my teacher, love."

She snorted but I ignored her as Elaine brought a rather large bundle. "Thank you – and Elaine, food and drink if it doesn't trouble you-"

"I'll be quick, milady."

I nodded and turned to Adriane again. "I don't know why you are being so judgey. Don't you trust me?"

"Yes, I do. I just know that you never were the same person you were before leaving Avalon back then. He changed you."

"For the better," I said grimly.

She sighed heavily. "I just don't want you to get into things we can't handle here."

"That's just what I'm setting out to prevent. Now, if you'll excuse me."

I heard her sigh again but I ignored it. Time was of the essence.

* * *

><p>"<em>Back again, are you, dearie?"<br>_

_I avoided looking directly at him as I said. "I can't go home."  
><em>

_He gave a high-pitched giggle as he practically jumped to his feet and advanced on me. "'Course you can't. You're not quite there."  
><em>

_"No," I said, suddenly feeling the courage to look up at him. "I could, technically. But I don't want to. I can't go home without being absolutely in control. You snap me out of it all the time. We are not done."  
><em>

_He cocked his head to the side curiously. "Is that so?"  
><em>

_"Yes, it is. You're supposed to teach me. So quit complaining and do your job."  
><em>

_He chuckled again, but this time, his voice remained on the much lower tones. "Oh, really, dearie? Aren't you feeling brave?"  
><em>

_I squared my shoulders. "If you don't fulfil your side of our deal, I have no reason to fulfil mine."  
><em>

_I met his eyes with as much confidence as I could muster. It was nonsense, of course. I might have been able to do it, take away his magic, if he _really_ pushed me. But I would not. In contrast to Viviane, I saw no reason to. That he had mastered his weakness – the dagger – by owning it, was just a little unfortunate, but it didn't threaten the balance of nature. Cutting him off was just one of many ridiculous notions my predecessor had had._

"_I suggest you think that through. You must know, all magic comes with a price! Trust me, you're not willing to pay that price."  
><em>

_"Let's just not find out, love," I said, meeting his eyes defiantly. _

_He glared for a moment, but finally, his mouth spread into a wide grin. "Well then. Let's get back to our lesson."_

* * *

><p>"You just keep popping up, don't you?"<p>

"Pan, I was hoping to speak to you."

He raised an eyebrow to incredible heights. "Hoping to get him back, are you, Morgaine? Well, he's got this other girl now-"

"This is not about him," I snapped, trying not to think about what he was implying. This other girl – had he found Belle again? Had he not always said that she was dead?

"Then, tell me, what is this about?" Pan asked, slowly walking towards me as if he didn't have any care in the world.

"I know what you're planning to do," I informed him shortly. "I know you found the Heart of the Truest Believer."

"And?" he challenged.

"Don't play dumb," I said. "You're attempting the ritual. Now, let me tell you – if you so much as start, I'll make sure your magic will fade until nothing is left."

He watched me closely, a small smile playing around his lips. "Very well. I've heard your warning."

I took a step closer to him. "Don't think I won't go through with it."

"Oh, no, no," he said, still smiling. His calm demeanour was rather unsettling. "I have no doubt you will."

* * *

><p><strong>You know what I'd like you to do. The box is right below. And have yourself a lovely day :)<strong>


	6. Make Your Choice

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, alerted and especially to Boyz for reviewing! Reviews are greatly appreciated and I would love it if there were more people to review. Just saying ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>Make Your Choice<strong>

* * *

><p>"There you are."<p>

In a, for him, extremely uncharacteristic manner, Rumple pulled me to him and hugged me.

Smiling uncertainly, I pulled back. "Here I am. And I brought the scroll."

"Good," he said. "I couldn't remember it all."

"Me neither," I said. "Though it proved to be a bit of a fight."

He pulled a face. "Your Elders always put up a fight."

"With that you're right."

I looked around, surprised to see that we were alone in the clearing. "Where's the rest of your little group?"

"Ah, Operation Henry has obviously been expanded. They went to save Bae."

"And you didn't go along?"

He sighed heavily. "I doubt he'll want to see me."

"It's your son. I think he would like to see you all right when you come to his rescue-"

"We have important matters to discuss," he interrupted me quickly. "Let's get to it."

I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously, but decided that he was right. Stopping Pan was the more pressing matter at hand.

"Well," I said, taking out the scroll and unrolling it. "There seem to be various ingredients to the ritual, including ripping out the heart and, uh, replacing your own with it..."

Rumple held out his hand and I handed him the roll to study it. His eyes flew over the page and I watched his brows furrow. "It says someone else has to die."

"Yes," I said slowly. "So that the bearer of the heart – Henry – stands between life and death. See, this ritual is very old. Archaic."

"Well," he said. "It doesn't matter. We stop him before it. Won't we?"

* * *

><p>"<em>I will be back," I assured him. "Once Beltane is done, I will return for my lessons."<br>_

_"Dearie, you will return sooner."  
><em>

_I raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you suggesting?"_

"_Oh, I just keep thinking, what will your Elders say when they learn that you've been taught by me? Huh? What do you think? Will they be proud? Glad? See you as the powerful Lady you are?"_

_I watched him gesturing dramatically and rolled my eyes. "They'll just be glad I'm back."  
><em>

_"You're wrong," he said._

"_They'll respect my decisions," I said, turning to inspect myself in the mirror. "I am the Lady."_

_He giggled. "Oh, but to them, you're only a sixteen-year old girl, dearie. Unless, of course, you step up to the authority you have. But we both know that won't happen. You mark my words, you'll be back before the week is done."_

_I turned around harshly to tell him off, but flinched as I found him much closer than I had thought. Taking a deep breath, I told him, "You're wrong."  
><em>

_Again, he cackled. "We'll see."_

* * *

><p>Our little group of heroes made an awful lot of noise as they came stumbling through the forest. Emerging on the clearing, I found that they had an addition. I cocked my head to the side and eyed the dark-haired man. So that was Baelfire. Rumple had very rarely spoken of him, but his every plan had been geared to finding his son.<p>

"So you're back," Regina stated coldly as she took me in. "A little assistance would have been nice."

"You will find," I said calmly. "That the deal I made is between me and Rumpelstiltskin and has absolutely nothing to do with helping you."

"You made a deal with my father?"

My gaze turned to Baelfire as Rumple uttered a pleading, "Bae..."

"Neal!" the man snapped.

"All right, boys, calm down." I looked back and forth between them. "Seriously, I don't know why you're at each other's throats. And yes, I did make a deal with your father. Again. Don't I ever learn?"

"Apparently not, dearie."

I grinned back at Rumple, but his son did not seem to find any of this particularly amusing. Baelfire was glaring at his father. Had he never forgiven his father? I had always felt sure that he would be happy once the two found each other again.

"Look, whatever he told you, he's not to be trusted. He's going to kill Henry."

This announcement caused a predictable uproar. Everyone's eyes turned to Rumpelstiltskin, who was shaking his head. "I have no intention to harm the boy, I-"  
>"You told me yourself that you were going to-"<p>

"I never knew he was my grandson then! Things have changed-"

"Okay, okay, wait," the prince was stepping in the middle of the group. "What is going on?"

"Nothing's going on," I said quickly. "All right, no one will kill Henry. Not Rumple, not Pan. We have a plan."

* * *

><p><em>I opened my eyes to bright sunlight shining onto blooming apple trees. I let out the breath that had caught in my throat. I had claimed to be confident about my skills, but I had still worried that I might not be able to do it. I shuddered inwardly, thinking about the ridicule I would have had to face had I failed. Oh, I could practically hear his mocking giggle... but I <em>had_ done it. _

_I turned towards the abbey and forced myself forward. Halfway towards it, I saw a figure sprinting towards me. Hitching up her skirt, Adriane was hurrying towards me. Adriane had been born the same year as I and we had grown up together. Ever since we could grasp the concept, we considered ourselves best friends._

_She practically crashed into me, throwing her arms around me and hugging me close. "Oh, Morgaine, Morgaine... we were so worried..."  
><em>

_"I'm fine," I assured her. "More than fine, actually."_

_She stepped back, eyeing me from head to toe. "You're different."  
><em>

_"It's only been two months, Adriane."_

"_Come on," she said. "The Elders will want to see you."_

* * *

><p>"So, Pan's attempting this ritual," Emma summed up. "That will kill Henry."<p>

"Yes," I said, nodding at her. "But we won't let him do it. We will make sure he has no chance of doing the ritual."

"What are you suggesting?" Hook inquired, leaning casually against a tree on the far end of the group.

"There is this vessel he needs," I explained calmly. "It has to contain the heart's ashes, and then has to be set on fire. If we can find it and destroy it, it's done."

"Great," Hook sneered. "Let's go find the magic bowl and get out of here."

"It's not going to be quite so easy," Rumple said curtly.

"Why not?" Regina inquired. "Doesn't sound so hard."

"Well, for starters, we have no idea where the vessel is," I told her.

"Do you think Pan has it?" Snow White asked seriously.

"I don't think so. If he had the vessel, he would've probably gone through with it already," Baelfire – Neal – answered. "He's not the guy to wait."

"Impatient, huh?" I muttered.

"Like a child," Rumple added, smirking slightly at me.

"Well, sadly he's not as easily taken down as a child," Regina snarled. "We should get to work."

"Please," I snapped. "Enlighten me – how do you propose we find the vessel?"

At that, Regina fell silent, her brows furrowing thoughtfully.

"What about the globe you used to find Neal?" Emma said suddenly. "Do you have it with you, Gold?"

"No, I haven't," he said. "But I'm sure we could enchant another object."

"Like a map," Charming suggested.

Hurriedly, Rumple turned to me. "Could you do it?"

"Of course," I answered. "But we'd need a map of several possible realms. Neverland, the Enchanted Forest."

"What about Avalon?" Regina said.

"Well, it's been stolen years before I was even born. It's definitely not in Avalon."

"Hook, do you have maps on the ship?"

The pirate looked around and finally rolled his eyes. "Aye, I have."

"Good," Snow said, getting to her feet. "Then what are you waiting for? Let's go."

* * *

><p>"<em>We really are quite disappointed of you."<br>_

_I raised an incredulous eyebrow at Igraine, leader of the Elder's Council. "Disappointed? I have managed to control my magic. I really don't see how that is source of disappointment."  
><em>

_Igraine sighed heavily, stepping towards me. "Morgaine, dear. You went to the Dark One for help – you are in his debt. That was quite a foolish notion; in fact, you should have known better after studying Viviane's scrolls."  
><em>

_"Viviane was foolish and obviously confused woman," I said curtly. "She was wrong in all that she said about him."  
><em>

_"He fooled you, Morgaine. It's what he does-"  
><em>

_"Have you met him?" I asked challengingly. "Have you?"  
><em>

_"Morgaine-"  
><em>

_"Stop!" I said, holding up a hand to silence her. "None of you know what you're talking about. Don't you trust my judgement?"  
><em>

_"Listen, Morgaine, you are still very young-"  
><em>

_"I am your Lady," I bit back. "I expect you to treat me with all due respect. And I also expect you to respect my choice of teacher."_

_The Elders exchanged wary glances before Igraine finally spoke up again. "Morgaine, you are obviously confused and-"  
><em>

_"All right, listen – either you are willing to pay me the respect I deserve or you can find someone else to light your Beltane fires."  
><em>

_I turned on the heel and moved to stride out. _

"_You would risk the Beltane fires?" another of the Elders called after me._

_I didn't even bother to look over my shoulder. "You know how to contact me."_

* * *

><p><strong>The review box is right below and I'd very kindly ask you to use it. Have yourself a lovely day :)<strong>


	7. Handle With Care

**Oh, for God's sake, can someone _please_ review this thing?**

* * *

><p><strong>Handle With Care<strong>

* * *

><p>We were a rather peculiar group, walking behind each other in one long line. Emma was leading the way; she had claimed that she was the leader of our expedition as she was the Saviour. Hook was right behind her, probably giving the directions to her. Baelfire – Neal – went next, his glaring eyes fixed on the pirate's back. Obviously, he had inherited the dislike from his father. Charming and Snow had insisted on going last, wanting to make sure that the back of the group was still protected and they did not care for my argument that magic would protect us even better. Apparently, they believed more in sheer force.<p>

Neverland was not a place for force, though. It was a place where imagination ran wild; magic would be our best bet in any fight.

"Are we still on the right way?" Snow called from behind us.

It took a second for Emma to call back. "Yes!"

I was sure she did not want us to hear it, but it nonetheless reached my ears when Snow whispered to her husband, "I didn't think we had gone so far..."

She was right, of course. I had no orientation in Neverland, but I would not have thought that they had gone so far from the shore. It was not very clever and it astounded me that a pirate would leave his ship unattended for so long.

There was a loud shriek as right in front of me, Regina was suddenly lifted into the air. I stopped, causing Rumple to walk into me as the group in front of me whirled around. Regina was cursing loudly, as she dangled upside-down from a tree, her right foot trapped with rope.

"Regina," Snow breathed as Charming stepped forward, sword already drawn and stretched out to cut the rope.

"Don't!" the queen shrieked. "I'll fall on my head."

"So-?"

"Magic, forgot it?" Regina ground out, closing her eyes as she swayed slightly on the rope.

"Deep breaths, dearie," Rumple advised amusedly.

"I don't need you teach me anymore!" she snapped.

She disappeared again and reappeared on her foot right next to me. "Well," she said, dusting of her jacket. "We should watch out better from now on."

I nodded, looking around. "Pan will put any obstacle possible in our way. We should hurry."

* * *

><p>We reached the shore on late afternoon. It was strange to step out of the woods and to find the sun shining brightly. In the thick forest we had wandered, the light only very rarely broke through.<p>

I stopped as my feet touched sand. Hook was looking through his spy-glass.

"And?" Emma asked. "How's it looking?"

The muscles on his jaw clenched. "Not good."

"What does not good mean?" Regina asked. "Be a little more precise."

"It's still up, all right?" Hook bit back, putting the spy-glass down. "Doesn't look good though."

"Can we get on it or are we going to sink?" I asked impatiently.

"Well, I guess we just going to have to find out," the pirate answered.

"All right, then," I said. "How about we just do this – Hook and I are going over there."

"You sure you want to go with the pirate, dearie?"

I looked over to Rumple and rolled my eyes. "I have to have a look at which maps I can use and Hook is the one who knows where the maps are. So it's the two of us."

"Great," Hook muttered.

"C'mon, pirate, let's get this done."

"We left the rowboat down there," he said pointing down the coast line. "A mile, maybe?"

"A mile?" I said weakly. "Why didn't you lead us there already?"

"It's not like I have a map with me, is it?"

"Why didn't you bring it with you in the first place?"

"We had to leave in quite a hurry," he said grimly.

I huffed, but decided to accept my fate. Without Hook, of course, I would have been much quicker but I needed him with me when I went to look for the map.

"We should all go with them to the row boat. So that we know where they'll land again."

Regina incredulously turned to Snow White. "I need a pause."

"We can have a pause once we saved Henry!" Emma snapped.

"It's going to take a while," I said. "Why don't you just take your pause and follow up in an hour or so? Out-of-Hand and I are going to be fine."

Hook glared at me, but I paid him no mind. Rumple nodded at me while Snow White was still busy shaking her head at the queen.

"Good," I said, turning to Hook. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>By the time we reached the boat, I was out of breath due to the tremendous tempo Hook had set. Of course, it was in our best interest to be quick, but I still was not in the shape for such a tortuous march.<p>

"Don't look so gloomy," Hook said. "It's not you who'll be rowing, is it?"

He held out his hand to help me into the boat. Ignoring it, I climbed into the boat. "Yes, I don't think so, dearie."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Well, if you want to row, then please, go ahead-"

"I tell you how we do it," I said, leaning slightly forward as he sat down across from me. "Magic."

"I don't have much faith in magic."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you might understand that I do."

With a wave of my hand, the paddles developed a life of their own. Rowing us forward in fast, forceful strokes.

* * *

><p>He thought he saw the small boat setting off towards the Jolly Roger. "We should get going," he announced, turning around to the group gathered on the ground.<br>Bae had spent the last hour filling the group in on what had happened when the two of them had tried to rescue Henry. Spitefully, Bae had described what he learned about the prophecy. Since then, he felt various glares on his back every time he turned it to them.  
>He was wounded by Bae's view. He had no intention to harm Henry, quite the contrary. He felt sure that he was going to die on this quest. All that was left was to make sure that they succeeded nonetheless.<p>

"He's right," Emma announced. "Let's go."

Gathering their belongings, the group prepared to leave while he turned to look for the boat again. He believed to spot it well off the shore. They were moving very fast, probably using magic.  
>He turned his head as he felt a presence at his side. It was Bae, looking out as well.<p>

"Maybe you would be more effective on your own," he said.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Yeah, I do."

He sighed heavily. "Bae, I give you my word that-"

"Your word doesn't mean much, though," his son snarled. "I know that better than anyone."

"Bae-"

"It's Neal," he snarled. "And I don't want you anywhere near my son."

"What's going on?" Emma said, walking up to them. "Neal, come on."

"I just told my father he should stay behind."

"What?" she exclaimed. "No!"

Bae looked at her incredulously. "Didn't you listen? He's going to kill Henry!"

"Well, our only chance at saving Henry is this Morgaine and I doubt she'll help us if we banish your father."

Bae huffed and took off after the others.

"Thank you," he said, nodding at Emma.

"Didn't do it for you, Gold. And just so we're clear. If you go after Henry, I'm going to end you myself."

* * *

><p>I twisted in my seat to look how far we had to go. We were very close already, but it was starting to dawn. Not long, and it would be completely dark. The thought of being on a sinking pirate ship in the dark was unsettling. Adding Hook to it did not make it much better.<p>

Hook looked up at his ship with a pained expression. "She used to be a beauty," he mused.

"You talk of your ship as if it was a woman. Are you really so desperate?"

He waggled his eyebrows at me. "Can't say that I am, no."

I huffed and shook my head. Pirate, I reminded myself. What was I to expect?

"How do we get up?"

He reached behind him and pulled up a rope, fitted with a hook. "We climb."

"You know what? You do that and I help myself."

"I hate magic," he said darkly, throwing the rope up. It caught somewhere on deck and he pulled on it hard to make sure it held his weight.

"Now, don't be ridiculous, love."

Disappearing and appearing again was still one of the weirdest forms of magic I knew. It was as if, for a moment, you lost yourself completely, only to be built up again. It was the strangest sensation.

As I appeared on deck, close to the railing, Hook was already halfway up. I had to give that to him, for a one-handed man he was climbing pretty well.

He placed one hand on the railing and pulled his upper body up. Groaning, he looked up to me. "Help a pirate out?"

I rolled my eyes but grabbed his good arm to help pull him up. He flopped onto deck right at my feet. "That's how I like it."

He glared up at me and got to his feet. His gaze travelled over the ship. "Bloody hell," he muttered. "I'll need a new ship."

In fact, most of the ship seemed to be in a rather bad shape. The sails had crashed onto the deck and several large chunks of wood were spread around.

"Don't be silly," I said. "Magic can mend it again."

He raised an eyebrow. "What? Warming up to me now?"

"Hardly," I scoffed. "You were just looking like lost puppy."

"Cute?"

"Pathetic."

He shrugged and waved his hand for me to follow him. He moved through the ruins of his ship with a sort of grace I hadn't seen on him before. It was obvious that he was in his element here.

"What is that?" I asked, stopping suddenly at a wooden figurine.

Hook stopped and looked over his shoulder. "A dead mermaid."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Captured her when they attacked us," he explained quickly. "Regina got rid of her."

"You killed a mermaid," I said incredulously. "I don't believe it."

"Are we getting these maps or what?"

I glared at him, but followed nonetheless. Killing a mermaid was madness. They were highly magical and everyone knew that killing something magical came at a price. Every bit of magic did. Besides, mermaids were rather vindictive. And they never forgot.

Hook was striding towards the helm. His hand casually graced it before he looked around. "They should be here."

"What do you mean they _should_ be?"

"I mean they are not here, sweetheart."

I walked around to helm to look around myself. "And you're sure you kept them around here?"

"Always. Close to the helm, where they'd be needed."

"Maybe I can do locator spell," I mused. "But I'd need some time, maybe we're quicker just searching..."

Suddenly, the ship jerked and swayed violently. Crying out in surprise, I grabbed onto Hook, who miraculously wasn't fazed by the sudden movement.

He grinned down at me and I practically jumped back. "Sorry..."

"No matter, I know you can't help yourself."

"Please," I said. "As if I would-"

But I was interrupted by another sudden jerk. This time, I stumbled because I refused to hold onto him again. "What's going on?"

"Well-"

Again, the ship swayed, and again.

"What the actual-"

With a new jerk, the ship swayed incredibly far to the side. By now, Hook was holding on to the helm to stop himself from stumbling around. As the ship swayed back, I hurried over to the railing, directly followed by the pirate.

My eyes widened as we looked down into the water. "Mermaids," I breathed.


	8. Into The Wild

**Guys, please. I can see that people read it, I can see people alerting and whatnot - so can someone please review? It's really frustrating to not hear from you. So PLEASE. For me?**

* * *

><p>"Bloody hell," Hook said, staring down next to me. "Again?"<p>

"Seriously? You turned one of them into a figurehead!" I said accusingly.

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Regina did it."

I groaned and followed it up by a scream as the slap of the mermaids' tales caused the ship to jerk again. "We need to find the maps. Quick," I said.

Both of us whirled around and headed towards the helm again.

"They must have been thrown around when we got attacked last time," Hook stated.

"Great, you search up here, I go down there," I said before hurrying down the steps.

As quickly as I could, ever interrupted by the sudden jerks of the ship, I searched through the ruins. I waved wooden splinters and the like away, hurriedly sorting through the remainders, but I did not see a hint of the maps.

* * *

><p>"What's going on over there?" Snow White asked, stopping in her tracks to look out at the ocean.<p>

Even for the untrained eye, it was obvious that something was very much wrong with the ship. The Jolly Roger was swaying violently back and forth obviously just keeping from falling over. Even a storm would have never caused this. And there was not even a light breeze.

"Are they getting attacked again?" Charming said, stepping forward to join his wife.

"What do you mean, again?"

"We got attacked by mermaids after you left," Emma said quickly. "Regina turned one of them into wood and then there was this storm-"

"Wait, wait," he said, holding up a hand. "You turned a mermaid into wood?"

"She was a liability," Regina said haughtily.

"Sometimes I think you really are stupid, dearie."

She raised an incredulous eyebrow at him, but he had turned his attention back to the ship.

"If that's true, the mermaids are going to be out for revenge."

"So, what do we do?" Emma inquired.

"We go to where you left the rowboat and wait for them to return," he said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Charming exclaimed. "They are getting attacked!"

"Yes, so what am I supposed to do about it? If she can't help herself, I can't either."

* * *

><p>This time, I outright fell as the ship swayed so far I almost thought it would flip over. I tumbled against the railing and just so caught myself. Then, my gaze landed on something that made my heart jump. I scrambled forward, reaching for the papers I saw. They wouldn't come free and I let out a yell of frustration. The heavy wooden crest they had been trapped under splintered and fell apart as I looked on with an open mouth. I had been a really long time since I had lost control of my magic like this.<p>

I grabbed the papers and looked on.

Relieved, I called out for Hook, "I got them!"

I would not have thought that anyone could move so fast without magic. Hook appeared next to me and reached out to grab the maps from me.

"Nu-uh," I made. "I'll hold on to those."

"Okay, whatever, let's just-"

With a horrible crash, bits of the rowboat flew through the air and I just so managed to avoid a flying paddle.

"Damn."

Hook looked incredulously over the railing. "What are we going to do now?"

"Well, I could leave, but there's still you – wait."

The ship bent incredibly far towards the water and we had to hold on to the mast so we would not fall off.

"What?" Hook yelled to me.

"Well – I could shrink you," I told him hurriedly. "If you're small enough to fit in the bag, I can transport you with me."

He eyed me sceptically. "How will I know you change me back?"

I stared at him incredulously. "Are you insane? We're about to drown-"

In fact, the ship bend forward yet again and I shrieked slightly as I watched the water draw nearer.

"Well, I don't want to be Tom Thumb for the rest of my life."

"Oh, damn it, fine. You take the maps."

I held them out to him and he grabbed them quickly. In turn, I grabbed his arm. "Missing me already?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I just don't want to go searching for you once I shrank you."

I waved my hand and muttered, "_Shrink_" just as the ship started bending forward again. Hook rapidly shrank into my hand until I could, in fact, stuff him into my bag. "Sorry, buddy."

I left the ship right before it flipped over.

* * *

><p>I heard the gentle rustling of leafs and breathed a sigh of relief. I frowned myself at an uncharacteristic cracking noise from the forest. I opened my eyes just as Emma, followed directly by her parents broke through the trees and arrived at the shore.<p>

"Oh thank God," she exclaimed. "Gold, she's here!"

He, his son and Regina walked out of the woods next and he looked about as relieved as could be expected of him.

"Where's Hook?" Regina demanded.

"Oh, right," I said. "I forgot."

I reached into my bag. "Hey, mate, can you like, climb on my hand? It's kind of hard to find you in there."

Soon after, I did feel him climbing onto my hand. Sometimes, I couldn't quite believe the strange things magic got me into. I pulled him out and set him down on a stone in front of me. He was gesturing wildly but his voice was too small to hear what he was saying.

"What did you do to him?" Emma asked, looking on incredulously.

"Well, we got attacked. Needed to leave quickly so I needed to find a way to take him along." I eyed him thoughtfully. "I sort of like him like this. He's getting on my nerves whenever he talks."

"Then leave him like that," Rumple advised.

"Sorry, can't," I sighed. "We made a deal. He's got the maps."

"You made a deal," Baelfire repeated, shaking his head.

"Can't deny my teacher, can I? Oh, all right, Hook, don't worry," I snapped at the figure gesturing even more prominently. "_Grow._"

Watching him grow before my very eyes was maybe even stranger than seeing him shrink. Soon he was standing in full height again and shuddered. "I really thought you'd leave me like that."

"We can repeat that any time," I told him. "Maps, please."

He glared at me, but handed me the maps without protest. "I want them back," he said. "I need them if I ever get a ship again."

"Told you, I'll mend your ship," I snapped. "It's not beyond rescue."

"It flipped over," he bit back.

"So what?"

"Okay, can we get on with it?" Regina interrupted and I turned to her.

"Of course." I bend down and spread the maps on the ground. I looked up as a shadow fell on them.

"What do you think?" I asked Rumple. "Which rear will it be?"

"I'd try the Enchanted Forest."

I nodded and reached out to pull the map closer. I took a deep breath and stretched my hand out over the map. Carefully moving over it, I muttered under my breath to enchant it.

"What's she doing?" Emma asked curiously.

"It's a locator spell," I said.

"I don't see anything on it," Snow White remarked.

"Well, yes," I said. "Rumple, I need the scroll."

He handed me the scroll and I ripped of an edge.

"What-?"

"It needs something to trigger the locating." Swiftly, I burned the piece of parchment and blew some of it onto the map.

"I still don't see anything," Snow told me.

"Obviously. What next?"

Rumple pulled a face. "I guess we could try Neverland-"

"It's not very likely, is it?" Hook said grimly. "If it was right under Pan's nose-"

"It's worth as shot," Charming decided. "Go ahead."

I grabbed the map, again guiding my hand over it to put the spell on it. Holding up my other hand with the ashes again, I lightly blew it over the map.

My eyes widened as I saw the map start to glow. "Blimey," I muttered. "It _is_ on Neverland."

"What a coincidence," Hook said.

"Fate," Rumple told him. "There're no coincidences."

"Do you think Pan knows?" Emma asked, looking at the map over my shoulder.

"He would have gotten it already, wouldn't he?" Regina said.

"At least we should prepare for a few surprises on our way," Snow said.

"You, map-boy." I handed the map to Hook. "Have a good look at it, memorize the path."

He frowned at me, then looked down at the map for about twenty seconds before he noted, "Done."

"Good," I said, lighting the map on fire. Hook screamed in surprise and let the burning parchment drop to the floor. "We don't want Pan to steal that from us. Go on, lead the way."

"Hold up!" Emma suddenly said. "Who made you leader of this?"

"I just said Hook was the leader."

"Look," she said, stepping towards me. "I'm Henry's mother, I want-"

"With all due respect, Emma, for being the Saviour and whatnot. I need to work with professionals here."

She raised her eyebrows at me, but I just turned away.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked. "Let's get going."

* * *

><p><strong>Use that box below, pretty please :) <strong>


	9. Dead Man Walking

**So, er, I did get a review, if not for the last chapter, but still (a very constructive one, too, thank you very much!). Maybe we can improve that? What about a review for _this_ chapter? It'd make me very happy :)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Back already, dearie?"<br>_

_I huffed and let my bag fall to the floor. "Yes," I said through my teeth._

_I was still practically shaking with anger. How dare they talk to me like that? All my life, I had done as they said, had complied to their every wish and now..._

"_Huh," he giggled. "I really don't know what you want here."  
><em>

_"Rumple, please, I'm not in the mood."  
><em>

_"Ah, but you see, I'm not ready to have you here – you said you'd come back after Beltane."  
><em>

_I raised an eyebrow at him. "You told me you knew I would be back."  
><em>

_He waved his hand dismissively and turned back to sit at his spinning wheel._

_I rolled my eyes at his back. "You want to hear you were right, yes?"  
><em>

_"Well, I'd like that."  
><em>

_"You were right," I said. "They told me I was foolish, said they were disappointed."  
><em>

_"Because of me?" he said, putting a hand to his heart in feigned hurt. _

_I sighed heavily and sat down on the bench next to him. "Why are you always right?"  
><em>

_"It's a burden, dearie."_

"_I can stay, can't I?"  
><em>

_"If you have to."  
><em>

_I smiled lightly and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you."_

* * *

><p>"We should search for a sleeping place," Baelfire said. "It's gone completely dark."<p>

"He's right," Emma said. "I'm tired, too."

Rumple looked as though he was not at all happy with that suggestion. As he opened his mouth to speak, I shook my head at him. It was no use stumbling through the forest when you were barely able to keep your eyes open. I, for my part, was very tired indeed.

"Aye," Hook announced. "We'll take the next cave we find."

Emma exchanged a glance with her mother and I saw her rolling her eyes. I stood by my estimation. We needed someone experience both with Neverland and quests in general to guide us here and Hook – even though I disliked him – had both. Emma, in contrast, was just a girl who grew up in a land where magic did not even exist.

"It appears you made yourself some enemies."

I turned my head to see that Regina had caught up to me. "Why, you would know all about that, wouldn't you?"

Her face fell. "I know how to get rid of enemies, too," she sneered.

"Oh, please," I sighed. "I'm really not against you. You can be evil all you like and it'll be all right with me. See, there are so many good people. Who is there to balance it? You're quite important for the natural balance."

I watched her brows furrowing. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult," she stated.

I shrugged. "Neither. But if you want a compliment, please. At least you're not boring."

She smirked at me and I smiled back. How come I always bonded with villains?

"We got something here!" Snow White called from the front, causing Regina and I to hurry up and join them.

They had indeed found a cave that venture a few feet below ground. It was just large enough for us, but anything was better than to have to sleep out in the open.

I looked around as the others started preparing their bedsteads. "We should put a few protection spells up," I told Rumple. "I don't want to have visitors tonight."

* * *

><p>"<em>Why do you keep spinning?" I asked curiously, abandoning my current project of altering my hair colour. <em>

"_What do you mean?"  
><em>

_"You keep spinning and spinning, what for? It makes no sense."  
><em>

_"Helps me forget."  
><em>

_"What do you have to forget?" I asked. _

"_Can't you imagine that after two hundred years there're one or two things I'd like to forget?" he snapped._

"_Obviously," I said, putting a hand on the wheel to stop it from turning. "This is not some random thing or you would just tell me."  
><em>

_"I won't tell you," he asked. "Move your hand."  
><em>

_"You know what? I don't think I will."_

"_Do you really want to start a fight, dearie?"  
><em>

_"Maybe I do."_

_He glared at me, dark round eyes blazing, but I held my ground. Mainly, I was bored. I had been so sure the Elders would come for my before Beltane. Now, the celebration was only a day away and they had not come for me and I was starting to get tired of waiting. Rumpelstiltskin, meanwhile, seemed not to have a care in the world as he kept on spinning more and more gold..._

"_You want to know what I forget?"  
><em>

_"Yes."  
><em>

_"My son."  
><em>

_Startled, I let my hand drop from the wheel. "Your son?"_

"_I hate to repeat myself."  
><em>

_"No, I just – I never knew you had a son."  
><em>

_"Well, I never told you," he said, standing up and walking past me._

"_What happened to him?"  
><em>

_"Huh?"  
><em>

_"Well, he's not here anymore," I said carefully. "Something must have happened."_

"_I lost him," Rumple said curtly._

_I stepped towards. "You know if you ever want to talk-"  
><em>

_"Then I won't go to a teenage runaway." _

_I stared at him for a moment, then turned away, attempting to hide the tears in my eyes. Behind me, I heard the door to the hall slam shut._

* * *

><p>I woke in the middle of the night. At once, I was undeniably awake; there was no going back to sleep. Several people were breathing calmly around me. But as I opened my eyes, I found that two were missing. Hook and Charming were nowhere to be seen. I sat up, distressed at once. Where were they? Had they left? Had someone – but no. Why would anyone take Hook and Charming and leave everyone else alone?<p>

Careful not to disturb anyone, I got up and slowly made my way towards the entrance of the cave. Sure enough, I saw the small glimmer of a fire being lit outside.

"Forget it, Hook," I heard Charming say. "I won't tell them."

"Don't be so stubborn, mate. There's still hope-"

"We have more important things to do, okay? I won't burden them with this, too."

"Burden us with what?" I asked, stepping outside and raising my eyebrows at the two.

They stared up at me open-mouthed.

"Put that fire out, you're blowing our cover," I said. "Some lousy pirate you are."

Hook glared but followed my order anyway. Meanwhile, I turned my attention to the prince.

"So – what is that secret you're keeping?"

"He's dying," Hook supplied when Charming didn't answer.

"What?"

"Dreamshade," Charming sighed. "Can't be helped."

"You said there was hope," I said to Hook.

"Yes..."

"Speak."

"There's this spring, aye? It has healing powers. Slight problem, though-"

"We don't have time to get it," Charming ground out.

"You know what? You need to be saved from yourself. Until then, let the pirate speak."

Charming glared at me, but I turned back to Hook and gestured for him to continue.

"Problem is, if he takes it, he can't leave the island. Ever again."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "We can find a solution for that."

"You think?" Charming said. "Where would that be? Somewhere in the mystical depth of your apple island?"

"I'm sure I could dig around there. But I don't have to, if you would rather stay here."

"We don't have the time to go looking for that water-"

"You know where it is?" I asked Hook.

"Sure."

"All right. You go get it. We continue on the path and..."

"You remember that lake about three thirds down the path?" Hook asked.

I nodded quickly.

"Good. You put up your shelter there and we'll find you again."

"Fine," I said. "Be quick. But careful."

Hook turned to the prince and motioned for him to get up. Charming glared at him, but complied. I watched as the two of them set off into forest.

* * *

><p>"<em>You are blonde."<br>_

_I didn't even look __up from the mirror. "I know."_

_"You learned to do it."  
><em>

_"It's not that hard," I said drily. _

"_Well, you did have some trouble, dearie-"  
><em>

_"Don't call me dearie," I snapped, finally looking at him. "I don't really want to talk to you anyway."  
><em>

_"Why are you still here then?"  
><em>

_I huffed, turning back to the mirror again. I wanted to go back to my natural brown hair-colour. _

"You_ kept _me_ from spinning."  
><em>

_"You've been an arse," I snarled, getting up to face him. "I'm not a child, nor am I a runaway. I lay my life open for you to see but you get unjust the moment I might glimpse behind the facade. What are you afraid I'll see? I saw the monster. How can it be worse to see the man?"_

_He opened his mouth to answer but he was interrupted by a forceful bang on the door. _

"_So your Elders finally did come," Rumple stated, striding out to the hall.  
><em>_I hurried to follow him. Who knew what he would do if they managed to anger him; he was in a mood, anyway. He let the doors fly wide open and I found Igraine standing outside, her eyes widening slightly as she took him in._

"_I've come to get Morgaine," she stated._

"_Huh," he made. "Where have I heard that name?"_

"_Stop playing around," I scolded, joining him at the doorstep. "You can't get me, Igraine. Maybe if you ask nicely, I'll come with you."_

"_Morgaine, please, you can't really want to stay with that monster-"  
><em>

_"He's not a monster," I said.  
><em>

_"We did have a fight, though, dearie," Rumple said._

"_What, and that make you a beast?" Our eyes met and I gave him a small smile. "I'm listening," I added to Igraine without looking her way._

"_You can chose your teacher and the Elders will not speak against it. We need you to light the Beltane fires."  
><em>

_"Are you convinced?" I asked him nonchalantly._

"_No."  
><em>

_"I'm not convinced," I said, turning to Igraine again. "See, it's not only the teacher. You do not respect your Lady."  
><em>

_"Morgaine, you're acting like a child-"  
><em>

_"There's a theme today," I muttered._

"_Listen, Morgaine, we want you to light the fires because we think you are ready. I am sorry if we disrespected you, but we are only acting in your best interest."  
><em>

_"Do you promise to trust my judgement in the future? Are you ready to treat me as an adult? Because otherwise, I might just have to go my own way."_

"_You have to allow us to advise you-"  
><em>

_I held up a hand to interrupt her and looked at Rumple again. "What do you think?"_

"_Go along."  
><em>

_"You just want to get back to spinning."  
><em>

_"That I do," he answered, grinning at me._

_I sighed but nodded to Igraine. "Fine. I'll go with you."_

* * *

><p><strong>Seriously, though, please leave a review - love the flashbacks, hate 'em, every comment is fine.<br>Have yourself a lovely day :)**


	10. Silver Lining

**So, OUAT returns tonight! Are y'all excited? I know I am.  
>Still haven't gotten any reviews and I feel like it's becoming some sort of running gag. Right? Kind of like Leo winning no Oscars, except not as important and humiliating ;) <strong>

* * *

><p>"Get up, temporary friends!" I announced loudly. "We have quite a way before us today!"<p>

Snow White and her daughter responded with a mutual groan. Regina, too, seemed to have a hard time adjusting to being awake. Rumple, of course, appeared to be wide awake at once. I had waited for the first ray of sunshine to break through the darkness until I woke them. Every moment spent with unnecessary resting was time wasted.

"Where's David?" Snow White asked, looking around in confusion.

"Who?"

"David – Prince Charming, remember?"

"Oh," I said. "So that's his name? It's good to know. Ridiculous to call him charming, anyway."

Snow White glared and I sighed.

"Not sure if he wants me to tell-"

"Hook's gone as well," Emma announced. "Spill, girl." I saw her reaching towards her bedstead, for the sword, undoubtedly, and raised an eyebrow, causing the blanket to tangle around her.

"What the-"

"Self-preservation," I said lightly. "Hook and uh, David – have gone off to a healing spring."

"Why would they-"

"Seems your husband had an unfortunate run-in with a bit of dreamshade," I told her.

"WHAT?" Snow exclaimed. "How – when? And now, what-?"

"Told you, healing spring. Hook knows the way, they'll be fine. We continue the path we planned."

"Why are you-?"

"Seriously?" I snapped at Emma. "Do you know the way? 'Cause if you do, please, go ahead. But don't complain when we fail."

She stared at me with wide eyes and I huffed.

"Some Saviour you are..."

"You made your point, dearie."

I turned to look at Rumple. Our eyes met and I nodded slightly. "I need you to pack up and get ready to leave," I said, my gaze never once parting from him.

"We'll be on our way in ten."

* * *

><p>"You have to be a little nice," Rumpelstiltskin suggested as he caught up with me. I had started to get a little ahead of the group to keep an eye out for possible traps.<p>

"Pot, meet kettle."

"You know, I've been trying to change."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Change? Into what?"

"A better man. The man I was before-"

"That man is gone," I said. "And for the better. That man was the kind of man who would rather run than fight. A man that pined after a woman that would never love him. A man that would let his own son get away. You're not that man anymore."

"But I was good," he said quietly. "She would want me to be good."

I rolled my eyes at him. "There you go. Maybe you _are_ that man again."

He frowned at me. "You don't know me half as well as you think."

"I know you well enough," I said. "You're right, of course. I could be a little nicer. But she just bugs me."

"She's a piece of work, Miss Swan."

"Piece of work, that's what you call it?" I muttered grumpily.

I stopped shortly to see the group trailing after us walking around the last corner we had rounded.

"I mean I get she wants to save the boy. But why play the leader? She's no match for Neverland."

"Miss Swan has extraordinary magical powers," Rumple mused. "A child of true love, you see? If she just believed-"

"But she doesn't," I interrupted sharply. "Never going to be a powerful sorceress. You could go ahead and teach her, of course. Then again, you have that thing with your apprentices. Oh yes," I added to his incredulous expression. "I did go there."

"You're in a mood," he deadpanned. "I don't know why."

"I don't know... I just... it's Neverland, it's all this... our whole plan, it's just crazy."

He frowned at me. "We'll be fine, dearie."

I gave him a slight smile. We turned the next corner and I froze on my spot.

"Well, if it isn't my favourite group of heroes."

"Pan," I said cautiously. "You, out and about."

"You know me, me and my boys are just playing around."

I narrowed my eyes at him just as the rest of the group turned the corner. At once, every weapon they had was drawn, but Pan merely smirked.

"Baelfire," he acknowledged. "I had figured they had freed you."

"You backstabbing-"

"Please," I interrupted Baelfire at once. "Let's be civil. Anything we can do for you, _Peter_?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "I was just hanging out at the cliff, you know... happened to run into a charming young man and a one-handed pirate."

I straightened up slightly. "You did? Exchanged pleasantries and the like?"

"Amongst other things, yes," Pan said, grinning smugly.

I took a step towards him. "How about you just say what you have to say, love? Spare us all the time."

"Don't you know, I have all the time in the world," Pan said merrily, walking around me. I closed my eyes for a second and then turned to watch him. "It's really a fine assembly we have here. Snow White, of course, you really are the fairest of them all, aren't you?"

From his lips, even a compliment sounded like mockery and judging by Snow's expression, she felt it, too.

"Lovely Emma, yes, we talked already. The Evil Queen, not so evil now, are you? And finally, father and son, reunited again after such a long time... Where do you fit in, Morgaine? You're not part of this little family, are you?"

"What have you done to David?" Snow cut in.

"I – nothing. I might have suggested to your corsair friend to just end dear David's suffering."

"No," Emma breathed. "No, he wouldn't have."

Pan spread his arms, grinning broadly as he walked backwards with the confidence of someone who knew their territory better than anyone else.

"Don't let him get in your head," I said. "He's just playing games."

"Am I?" he asked. "Why, I guess you'll find out."

"Anything else you wanted, Pan?" I asked pointedly. "We must be on our way."

"Oh, yes, wouldn't dream of you holding you back," he said, smiling widely once more before vanishing into thin air. I exchanged a tense look with Rumple before resuming our path.

* * *

><p>"How can we just continue on if David is possibly-"<p>

I ignored Snow White's protests and luckily for me, Rumple stepped up to the task.

"Listen, Pan likes to play these games, we don't know for sure if anything has happened. Trying to track them down is just going to set us off path and it'll cost us time without any real chance of finding them. Take my advice, dearie. Have patience."

"If Hook killed him-"

"Then he won't be deader than he would have been with the dreamshade. I'm sure they'll meet us at the lake."

Several people huffed but I personally thought he was right. Pan tried to play with us, it was just what he did... maybe he really had met Hook and the prince. But I doubted that the pirate would really have killed David. What would have been the point to that?

The sun was already low as we reached the top of a hill from which one could see the lake that was our destiny for today.

"Almost there," I announced as they joined me on the hill top.

"Do you see them already?" Snow asked, starting forward to have a look.

"No, I don't. But I figured they would take longer than we have. No need to be concerned yet."

She nodded tensely and set off down the hill, directly followed by Emma and Baelfire.

"Do you really trust Hook?" Regina asked.

I shrugged and started to follow our hero-group. "Well, I sure trust him over Pan. He tried to get us off track, I refuse to let that happen."

* * *

><p>We had put our shelter up close to the water. One by one, we started to get nervous. Snow White and Emma, of course, had been concerned for David from the beginning. I watched as Baelfire, too, started pacing. Regina was staring into the fire, but the way her fingers kept drumming on her thigh told me she grew anxious as well. Admittedly, as time progressed, I started to worry, too. They should not be so long. What if Hook really had-<p>

I inwardly shook my head at myself and turned to look at Rumple, who sat close to the fire, carving.

"What are you doing?" I inquired.

"Carving."

"I see that. But why?"

"It's going to be an arrow. An enchanted arrow."

"What will it do?" Baelfire asked, stopping suddenly in his pacing.

"Let's just say the one who gets hit with it won't be a threat anymore."

"Maybe you understand why I'd rather you not have an enchanted arrow," Bae stated.

"I'm not going to kill Henry," Rumple bit out, viciously cutting at the branch. "Not with an arrow, not with anything."

"See, I have a hard time believing that-"

"Quiet!" Snow White snapped suddenly. "I think I heard-"

She was right. Now that everyone fell silent, there was the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoing through the forest.

I saw Rumple reaching for one of the completed arrows, just in case. As it turned out, it was not necessary. Out of the woods stumbled David and Hook, both looking worn out, but well.

Snow White gave a cry of relief and rushed forward into her husband's arms. Hook took a quick step to the side to not be run over before he moved to join us.

"You all right?" I asked.

"Fine."

"Have you met Pan at all?"

"Aye, we did," he muttered darkly. Hook walked over and sat down next to me. "Wanted me to kill David."

"Obviously, you didn't. I was right all along," I added to Emma and Snow White, who slowly joined us.

"You were only guessing."

"I'm good at it."

"You met Pan as well?" David inquired.

"Yes," Emma said. "He said he told Hook to kill you."

"And you believed I did?" Hook asked, clearly disappointed.

"Well..."

"Anyway, you didn't," I said. "You succeeded? He's healed?"

The two men nodded and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


	11. Bring It On

**Thanks to everyone who read and fav'd and alerted. Only we _could_ work on that review thing, could we not?**

* * *

><p><strong>Bring It On<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Can you teach me healing spells?" I asked as I handed him a cup of the tea I had just made.<em>

"_What would you need that for?"  
><em>

_"Why would I not need that?" I raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. _

"_To heal yourself?"  
><em>

_"No," I said. "To heal someone else."  
><em>

_"What brought this on, huh? Do you have some sick lover or-?"  
><em>

_"What?" I exclaimed. "No. Look, why would I not want that? I could help people, what's wrong with that?"  
><em>

_Rumpelstiltskin took a sip from his cup. "And demand a price for it?"  
><em>

_I shook my head, exasperated. "No. Just... out of the goodness of my heart."  
><em>

_"Why would you do that?"_

"_You wouldn't?" I inquired, incredulous. I knew, of course, that Rumple, being the Dark One, was not exactly a good person. But I could not believe that he would refuse to help if someone really needed him. "Just imagine, there's someone dying. Needs your help."  
><em>

_"A deal can always be struck."  
><em>

_"No deal," I said. "Just help."  
><em>

_"Then I wouldn't."  
><em>

_Again, I shook my head. "I don't believe you."  
><em>

_"You can."  
><em>

_"If I was dying, right here – and I didn't have anything to trade. You would let me die?"_

_He narrowed his eyes at me. "Let's not be ridiculous, dearie. Do you want to learn?"_

* * *

><p>Hook had picked up the leading of our expedition again. He had told me that he was sure we would reach our destination today. Considering the pace he had set up, I was inclined to believe him.<br>From my place quite far down the group, I watched as Hook turned his head to talk to Emma, the lewd grin on his face suggesting some sort of innuendo. I saw Baelfire, walking behind her, shaking his head in disgust. At least this little love triangle provided sufficient entertainment for the rest of us.

"All this drama," I muttered to Rumple, who was walking behind me.

"Nothing but, ever since we found Bae..."

"I still can't believe how all that played out," I told him.

"Me too, believe me, dear."

I looked over my shoulder and offered him a comforting smile. Rumple grimaced instead and I turned my attention back to the path in front of me.  
>Just in time, too. Rather abruptly, the trio had suddenly stopped. I bit my lip as to not curse loudly.<p>

"What's going on?" Regina called from behind me.

"Shh!" Emma made.

We all fell silent. First, nothing but the natural sounds of the forest was to be heard. There was the soft rustling of leafs and the chirping of birds.  
>Suddenly, though, there was a snapping sound, as if someone had stepped on and broken a branch. It was followed directly by the hissing noise of a hurried whisper.<p>

"What-?" Snow White mouthed.

Hook sent her a dark look. "We're being followed."

* * *

><p><em>I smiled brightly as I sat down at the edge of the bed. Adriane was gently rocking her new born son in her arms. Her eyes were sparkling with joy as she looked up to me. "Isn't he beautiful?"<br>_

_"As beautiful as he's been the whole week, love."_

_She rolled her eyes at me. "Am I not entitled to a little pride?"  
><em>

_"Oh, yes, you are," I assured her, still smiling._

"_I can't believe you're skipping your lessons to check on me."  
><em>

_I sighed. "I don't know... I feel there is so much more that would be useful, but he doesn't think so. We keep arguing about every little thing-"  
><em>

_"Maybe it's a sign," Adriane suggested._

_I scoffed. "Anything to get me away from him, right?"  
><em>

_"Don't be angry," she begged. "I just worry about you. The Dark One's not a good person."  
><em>

_"That's why he's called the Dark One, innit?"  
><em>

_She sent me an exasperated look, but I did not care. No one dared try to forbid me my lessons, but no one approved. It were the little comments, sneaked into every other conversation, that really bothered me. Rumple had warned me of this – 'don't think it's over with this' – and, as usual, he had been right. _

_The baby began to jammer softly and Adriane turned her attention back to him. She gently brushed his face and froze._

"_What?"  
><em>

_She looked up to me with wide, frightened eyes. "He's burning up."_

* * *

><p>I kept picking half-heartedly at the bowl of mushrooms, berries and herbs we had collected along the way. I still had bit of bread and salt-meat in my bag, but I believed in saving for hard times. Taking a bit of our 'meal', though, made me wish I had not decided against my vittels.<p>

"Why do you pull that face?" Rumple asked.

"Have you tasted this? This makes me wish I'd used my favour with you for food."

"That would be very foolish."

Demonstratively, I pushed a spoonful in my mouth. Rumple winced and I sent him a plagued smile. Very foolish, indeed. I would never waste my favour like that.

"We don't have anything better, so quit complaining," Regina stated, sitting next to me with an equally full bowl. "Why don't you enchant it to be something better, anyway?"

"Food? It's one of the things that cost immensely. You're not supposed to meddle with things like that."

"And you would let me do it?" Rumpelstiltskin grumbled.

"Well, I didn't. And honestly, how much darker can you get?"

He pulled a face. "I've been trying-"

Regina let out a biting laugh. "You? Dear, let's face it. We all know your dark heart and nothing is going to change."

He didn't answer, but I saw his gaze travelling over to where his son had sat down next to Emma.

I followed his gaze and found Hook sitting a few feet away. It appeared that Baelfire was winning this round.

The silence was suddenly interrupted by the frightened and outraged yell of two boys' voices. David and Hook leapt to their feet and I grinned at Rumple.

"We got them."

I got up and followed the two men a little bit into the woods, where we had set up the trap to catch our followers.

Two teenagers were hanging in the net we had set up, struggling wildly, but not managing to free themselves.

"Don't overexert yourself," I suggested merrily. "It's no use. Nets are enforced by magic."

"Anyone can do magic here!" one of the boys spat. "We just have to want-"

"Please, do try," I told him. "It'll only add to my amusement."

Hook had drawn his sword and was pointing it up at the boys. "Why are you following us?"

"We're not telling you anything!"

"You, boy," I interrupted. "What's your name?"

"Devon," he said defiantly. "Why?"

"Devon, love, just be reasonable. You're trapped. Maybe we'll let you out when you talk."

"You won't."

"You'll never know if you don't try."

Devon glared at me, but between looking at me and the tip of Hook's sword, he seemed to decide that he would rather talk.

"Pan sent us. He said the more we can take down the better-"

Almost growling, Hook extended his sword, poking the boy who gave a startled scream.

"Don't, Hook!" David exclaimed, drawing his hand back.

"And, why exactly did dear Peter want you to kill us?" I inquired further.

"He says magic is dying," Devon informed me. "He says you keep him from saving magic."

I groaned. "He and this story, really gets on my nerves."

"What, you believe the boy?" Hook said as I turned around to leave.

"That boy? He's a nobody; Pan wouldn't tell him the truth."

Hook and David pulled a face, but they both seemed to agree. They set off towards the camp again, while I turned to the boys wants more.

"Oh, and Devon. You were right. I won't let you out."

* * *

><p>"<em>The herbs aren't working," I informed Igraine who was looking just as worn out and worried as I felt. "There's nothing I can do... I have searched every scroll, every book... I have tried it all. I'm done."<br>_

_Igraine sighed heavily and looked into the room, where Adriane was weeping silently, rocking her son in her arms. "Sometimes, we just have to let go."  
><em>

_"Of a baby?" I asked, incredulous. "I can't accept that."_

_Adriane had placed the child in his cradle and joined us, sobbing violently. "Morgaine... please, please... you have to save him."  
><em>

_"Adriane..."  
><em>

_"Please, you are most powerful magician there is. You have to-"  
><em>

_"Adriane," Igraine said reasonably. "Even the Lady isn't all powerful."  
><em>

_"Most powerful magician," I repeated slowly. "But I'm not the most powerful."  
><em>

_"Morgaine, no," Igraine said sternly. "We're not going to the Dark One with this."  
><em>

_"But he could help!" I said. "He's got a fairy's wand, it can heal anything!"  
><em>

_Adriane's face was glowing with hope. "Really?"  
><em>

_"He would demand a price!" Igraine snarled. "You could never pay it, Adriane."  
><em>

_The girl's face fell. "He wouldn't take my boy, would he?"  
><em>

_"No," I assured her. "No. Whatever price he demands, _I'm_ going to pay. He's going to strike the deal with me, not you. We can save your boy. I promise."_

* * *

><p>"Now that we've got rid of this obstacle," I announced. "I suggest we move on."<p>

Everyone mumbled in agreement, even Emma and her parents who usually always found a reason to object to me.

"What do we do with the boys, though?" Regina asked.

"I thought we just leave them hanging."

Hook nodded grimly. "Otherwise, they'll just keep following us. I'm not keen on another encounter."

"Pan ordered them to kill us," David explained. "They'll keep it up."

"We can't just leave them there!" Snow White exclaimed, looking incredulously at her husband. "They'll die."

"So?" I said lazily.

"They're just kids! We can't kill kids."

"They've been kids for a long time, princess," I told her. "Older than you, probably."

"Still," she whispered. "We can't do this."

"I'll deal with them."

I turned my head to look at Rumple. "What's your plan?"

"Make sure they don't follow. And make sure they won't tell."

I nodded at him. "Fine. You do that. We go on."

* * *

><p>"<em>You here, dearie? Whatever do you – you've brought. A sick child. In my castle."<br>_

_"Yes, I know," I said quickly. "A very sick child. I need your help."  
><em>

_"Your child?" he said, pointing at Adriane. "You want me to heal it?"  
><em>

_Adriane opened her mouth to answer, but I intervened quickly. _

"_No. _I_ want you to heal it."  
><em>

_Our eyes met and I knew he understood the meaning of my words. He cocked his head to the side. "And here I was thinking you could do this yourself."  
><em>

_I shook my head frantically. "I've tried everything – but I thought, you have that wand, it'll help. Please."_

_He took in both me and Adriane, then nodded. "C'mon..."  
><em>

_Rumpelstiltskin waved for us to follow him deeper into his castle. Adriane, clutching her child tightly to her chest, sent me a worried glance and I gave her a reassuring smile. He led us into the main room, striding towards the back wall, where he had placed the fairy's wand.  
><em>_Adriane seemed to shrink even more as she walked into the broad room and took in the closed curtains, the various magical items spread around the place and the spinning wall in the far corner._

"_Bring him here."  
><em>

_"I never told you it was a boy," she said cautiously._

_He rolled his eyes as I pushed her forward._

"_You want him healthy, right?"  
><em>

_"Can't you do it?" she begged quietly._

"_Now, now, dearie," Rumple scolded. "You want my help, you need to trust me with it."  
><em>

_"I promised you, remember?" I told her. "I promised you it's going to be all right. I keep my promises."  
><em>

_She nodded carefully and held the child out to him. Slowly, deliberately, he guided the wand over the baby, back and forth twice. Before our very eyes, the boy slowly gained colour again. I breathed a deep sigh of relief at the sight. What no herb or healing spell could do, the pure magic of a fairy could achieve. Adriane was very close to tears once more as she hugged her child to her closely. _

"_Thank you," she whispered. _

_Rumple waved her off and walked over to his wheel. I followed him to see him playing idly with a bit of straw._

"_You're a life-safer," I told him._

"_Literally."  
><em>

_I nodded, smiling. "What do I owe you?"  
><em>

_His eyes flickered to Adriane and her child and then back to me. "This one's on me."  
><em>

_For a second I stared at him, speechless, then I broke into a wide grin. "Careful, love. I might actually think you care."  
><em>_He huffed and I quickly started forwards to hug him. He froze as I embraced him and I drew back to smile at him. "Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin."_


	12. Any Happy Little Thought

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, alerted and - surprise! - to the two people who reviewed. Thank you very much. **

* * *

><p><strong>Any Happy Little Thought<strong>

* * *

><p>"So that's it?" Emma said, staring incredulously at the small island that lay just a bit off Neverland's coast.<p>

"Yes," I said. "Has to be."

"Skull Rock?" she asked, shaking her head. "The more I know of this, the weirder it gets."

I frowned at her, but decided to just leave her to her rambling. Snow White, meanwhile, was positively fidgeting.

"What?" Regina asked sternly.

"What's he going to do to the boys?"

"He's not going to kill them," I informed her swiftly.

"He could be. Didn't say he wouldn't," Baelfire reminded me.

"Your trust in your own family is astonishing," I sneered. "Give him a little credit."

"Look," he said. "I know you find it hard to look past your infatuation with my father-"

"Infatuation?" I repeated. "Oh, dearie. Do you really have to sink that low?"

Hook was wearing an amused smirk as he stated, "We should go."

"Right," I said. "Let's get this done."

Baelfire huffed and waited to join Emma at the end of the group while Hook and I walked on towards the shore.

"How do you want to cross?"

I sent Hook a questioning glance. "Wade through? It's probably not that deep."

He shrugged. "Didn't think you would want to get soaked. Not that I mind-"

"Spare me," I interrupted. "I don't need to wade. I, in contrast to you, can simply use magic."

"Bloody witch," he muttered and I chuckled.

"My," he added. "Aren't you cheerful?"

"Why, it looks like we're succeeding. The plan is working."

"If Pan hasn't sent any more assassins."

"That's what you call an assassin?" I scoffed. "Those boys don't scare me."

* * *

><p>With a wave of his hand, the net that contained the boys fell from the tree and the two boys lay crumpled on the ground. Another wave, and he had bound them to the tree.<p>

"Do it!" one of them spat. "Just get it over with."

"You know, dearie, you're no use to me when you're dead."

The boy's eyes widened in horror. "Are you going to torture us?"

In the old, impish days, he would have honoured that with a mad giggle. Now, though, he merely scoffed. "I don't think that will be necessary."

Both of them struggled against their bonds, but to no use. His magic kept them contained for as long as he saw fit. After what he had planned, though, the bonds would not be necessary anymore.  
>Gathering both willpower and magic, he stepped forward and pushed his hand in the first boy's chest. The two of them both started screaming, one in pain and one in fright. With a jolt, he pulled the heart out of the boy's body. Breathless, the boy stared at the glowing heart in his hand.<p>

After a quick smile to the boy, he placed the heart in his pocket.

"Now you're useful," he told him before walking over to the second.

* * *

><p>"Couldn't you just magic us a bridge or something?" Snow complained as she reached the small isle. I offered her a hand to help her climb up the small coastline.<p>

"But that would deny me all my fun," I told her.

She huffed, put I saw the faint outline of a smile. I did not think that she actually disliked me as I was sure her daughter did. I did not think Snow White capable of actually hating anyone.

"So glad you're having your fun," Emma stated as she, too, climbed up. "Ugh. Now I'm all wet."

I rolled my eyes at her childish complaining and flicked my wrist to dry her up. She was confused for a moment before she looked up to me.

"Thank you," she said cautiously.

"You're welcome."

"Hey, could you-?"

I turned to David and did him the same favour. He nodded his thanks to me before his attention focused on Hook, who had just arrived.

"Lend a mate a hand?"

David reached out and pulled the pirate up, who was closely followed by Baelfire. Regina, of course, had used her magic to cross the water just as I had.

"Great," I said. "Now that we're all here, let's get on with it."

"Won't you dry me, too?" Hook asked.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You'll survive."

He rolled his eyes, but followed without further complaints as we headed for the entrance of the cave. As if the mere skull form of the island were not creepy enough, one had to enter through the mouth. Regina swiftly lit her fire that burned on her hand to give us some light. The moment we had entered, the temperature had fallen as well; I shivered as we walked further into the darkness of the cave. Faintly, I heard water running down the stone walls, somewhere it sounded like it dropped from the roof.

"Creepy," Hook muttered behind me.

"Aren't you supposed to be some sort of pirate?" Emma bit out. "This is your kind of place."

"You forget, love, that Hook is without doubt the worst pirate I have ever met."

"How many have you met?" he retorted.

"The ones I met at least did some – you know, raiding, pillaging, plundering – things pirates do."

"You don't want me to behave like a pirate, sweetheart, believe me."

"Really? 'Cause I..."

"Would you stop it already?" Regina snapped. "Enough of the bickering."

Reluctantly, I focused on the path again.

* * *

><p>"Now, listen to me very closely."<p>

He had untied the boys who were now staring blankly up at him.

"This is a very important tool," he said, showing them the poisoned arrow. "If Pan asks about it, you tell him it's a powerful weapon you managed to steal from us. No word of the actual plan we have with it, yes?"

The two of them nodded stupidly and he handed one of them the arrow.

"Excellent. Off you go."

The two of them literally jumped up and without another word, headed into the thick forest.

* * *

><p>"This is it," I said, looking into the pool of clear water. Very deep down, I could see the faint outline of what I presumed to be the vessel.<p>

"Down there?" Baelfire said grimly. "I didn't think we'd have to dive."

"What? Did you think it would just lie around?"

"All right," David said, shrugging of his jacket. "Let's just do this."

"Wait!" I exclaimed. "Let's not rush it – who knows what this water contains."

He frowned at me as I rummaged through my bag to pull out a small vial. "Better safe than sorry," I told him before bending down. Swiftly, I filled the vial with water. I held it up to inspect it in the light of Regina's flame.

"Looks normal," she said.

"That doesn't prove much, does it?" I muttered.

I brushed my index finger along the vial. Glowing softly, the water split up; while most of it remained clear, the down part filled with a thick, grey-brown liquid.

"Nightshade," I muttered.

Regina winced and leant closer to have a look herself. "Right on," she said. "That's not good."

"Why, what does it do?" Snow White inquired.

"It causes horrible nightmares or in our case – hallucinations."

"It's part of the Sleeping Curse," Regina muttered sheepishly, earning her disgusted glances from the David and his daughter.

"How do we get through the water, then?" Baelfire asked, looking into the pool.

"It can be suppressed by a happy thought," I explained. "Hopeful things, happy memories and the like."

"Any happy little thought?" Emma asked sarcastically. "'Cause there's that memory of a ham and cheese omelette-"

"I think we'd need something a little more substantial."

"If we just need to have a happy thought-"

"It might not be so easy," Regina said. "Have you ever had a nightmare, Charming? It's kind of hard to find something hopeful and good in nightmares."

"I can do it," he said decisively.

"Why, because you're so full of happy memories?"

"Maybe we would be," Snow snapped. "If you hadn't-"

"Enough," I said quickly. "If David thinks he can do it, I say he shall try. We need to take precautions, though." I searched my bag again until I pulled out a rope. "Here – you tie that around yourself and if you fail, we pull you out again."

He nodded sternly, tying the rope around his middle.

"David, please," Snow protested weakly and he offered a reassuring smile.

"I have a lot of happy memories," he told her. "Since I met you."

She smiled brightly at him as I rolled my eyes.

David gave on last nod to the group and then walked forward and into the pool. As he was waist-deep into the water, he took a deep breath and dived forward. He only managed a few strokes before he suddenly jerked, hallucinations probably setting in.

"Charming!" Snow White exclaimed, but before any of us could even attempt to pull at the rope, the prince was in control again.

Deeper and deeper he dived, now and again interrupted by sudden spasms, indicating a new attack of the Nightshade. He had almost reached the vessel, when suddenly he went completely stiff. Snow called for him again and Hook got ready to pull him up.

"Wait!" I said, holding up a hand. "Just give him a second."

"He's drowning!" Snow yelled furiously.

"He's not-"

"Is too – Hook pull him up-"

"Don't!"

"Shut up!" Emma shouted. "Look."

While we were arguing, David had in fact pulled himself together again; he reached the vessel. He grabbed the vessel and pushed up from the ground. Moments later, he surfaced again, gasping for breath.

* * *

><p>David waded out of the pool, but Snow met him halfway, falling into his arms. I turned away as they kissed.<p>

"Were they always that melodramatic?" I asked Regina.

She huffed. "Even worse."

Clearly amused, David arrived next to me. "Here – your bowl."

I took the vessel from him and the group gathered around me. Indeed, it was little more than a bowl; the only distinct thing about it being the words written in an ancient scripture that ran around it.

"I had expected something a little more – spectacular," Hook confessed.

"Not everything that is valuable has to be made of gold. Don't you know?"

"Pirate," he reminded me.

"So," Baelfire mused. "What do we do with it?"

"We get it back to the island," I said. "Rumple will know how to destroy it."

* * *

><p><strong>It'd be great if this chapter would get reviews again. Pretty please?<strong>


	13. Dead End

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd and alerted and a very special thanks to xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx and Forbidden Moons, who followed me over here from my Harry Potter story and have reviewed a lot! Love you, guys :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Dead End<strong>

* * *

><p>"He set them free," Regina said incredulously. "And I always thought he was clever."<p>

"You don't know if he-"

"Yeah, maybe he turned them into slugs and stepped on them. That would be much better."

I raised my eyebrows at Baelfire. "Did he ever do that? 'Cause that's pretty diabolical. And when I say that, I mean genius."

"It wasn't genius; it was cruel and uncalled for."

I shrugged. "Debatable. 'Sides, I doubt he did that. I have a whole other theory."

"Please," Emma ground out. "Enlighten us."

"Oh, I would hate to spoiler you."

He would have never let them run off, I decided. He was not that foolish, nor that incompetent. If he did let them go, he took their hearts beforehand. That, in turn, would fall into the diabolical, but genius portion; including the fact that our little group of heroes would not approve.

"We should find him. I don't like splitting up."

"You know," Hook said to Baelfire. "I really want to know why women keep throwing themselves at your father. Good-looking women, too. Just think of Belle and-"

"I'm not throwing myself at anyone," I snapped. "Just because you are thinking with your genitals-"

"Would you stop it already?" Snow interrupted. "I don't think we should shout around here."

I nodded at her grimly and waved for them to follow me further into the forest. There was one thing about this that did not make sense – why would he leave? Send the boys off – fine. But disappear all together?

"I see them!"

I froze for a hot second, my head whipping around to find the source of the voice. A boy, maybe fourteen years old, sat on a branch far up a tree, pointing down at us and gesturing for his friends.

"Run," I breathed.

No one wasted a moment and they all dashed forward, into the forest and off the path. I hurried after them. I could vaguely see Regina ahead of me, jumping over a fallen branch; I changed my path to pass the tree on the other side, but stumbled and tripped. One second, the ground rushed towards me and the next, I hit it and groaned in pain. I made to pick myself up, but got unexpected help.

"Rumple," I whispered, looking frantically around me to see if the others were still within reach. "Did they see you?"

"No."

"Here," I said, pushing the vessel into his hands. "You take it."

He nodded at me. "I'll find you again."

"Oh, I know you will. I will never get rid of you."

He grinned and I whipped around to run off again.

I saw Snow White and David running through the woods a few feet in front of me and sped up to catch up with them. As I had almost reached them, I found that the rest of our group was running very close to us, as well. Behind us, though, I heard the hurried footsteps of the Lost Boys following us as well.

"Hey!"

Hook had suddenly stopped and waved for us to come with him. I jerked to a halt and abruptly changed direction to follow him. As I passed her, I grabbed Emma by the arm, who had stopped to worriedly glance behind her.

"No time," I gasped out, completely out of breath by now.

My heart was pounding fast in fright and exhaustion, so fast, in fact, that I literally heard the pounding.

"Here!" Hook hissed, waving again.

He had found another cave and stood waiting in the entrance for all of us to arrive. Gasping for air, I slid inside, followed closely by the rest of our group. They were all breathing heavily, just as I, but we all did our best to be quiet about it. I pressed myself to the wall and tried to calm down.

Above us, the footsteps of our followers had slowed down as well. They were discussing where to go in hushed voices that could only be heard because they were so close. Finally, though, they decided to follow the path we had originally been on. As the sound of their steps subsided, I breathed a sigh of relief and slowly sank to the floor.

"Oh my God," Snow White whispered, still clearly out of breath. "That was so close."

"Where are we, anyway?" Baelfire asked.

"Don't know," Hook answered. "I just saw it and went for it."

"Well, it saved us. I take it all back. You're the best pirate I know," I told him.

He managed a weak grin and I bathed in the short peacefulness of the moment.

* * *

><p>He, in contrast to his comrades, moved at a slow pace through the forest, intent on not making any sound. It had always been one of his specialities to sneak up on people without them noticing anything. He should have known that it would not be of any use here.<p>

"My, my, Rumple. Have you lost all your friends?"

He closed his eyes to gather his wits and turned around. "Pan, what an unwelcome surprise."

"And what an unsurprising welcome," Pan retorted. "I wonder – why your friends would leave you all alone when you're being chased."

"Sometimes one is stronger on his own."

Pan cocked his head to the sight and looked him up and down with an amused smirk. "Or maybe they just left you. You're just as much a lost boy as all of my boys, Rumple. You really are... no different."

"You're wrong," he bit out.

Pan merely shrugged. "You don't need to see it for it to be true."

"I don't see it _because_ it is not true."

"I don't know why you bother," Pan told him calmly, as if his boys were not just chasing after people he wanted killed. "You will never succeed. Go home, Rumple, before you kill yourself. That girl – Belle, is it? – she'll be glad. You can have your happy ending."

"I will never have my happy ending if I have to sacrifice Henry for it. And Bae."

"Fine then," Pan said. "Have it your way."

"Tell me then," he demanded. "What do you want?"

"Oh, but you can guess that. I want the vessel."

* * *

><p>"Let's get a bit deeper inside," I suggested as I finally caught my breath. "I don't want them to come back and find us right here."<p>

Everyone seemed to agree and we headed further down the cave. As we turned the next corner, though, I froze. This was not some deserted cave. It was furnished; and in the middle, right in a comfortable bed, lay a girl.

A young, awfully pale girl, staring at us with wide eyes.

"Who-?" she started weakly before Baelfire suddenly said, "Wendy?"

"Do I know you?"

"It's me, it's Bae," he said, starting forward. "Wendy, I can't believe – what are you doing here?"

"I came back, I came looking for you! But you were gone..."

"Yes, yes, I... but... why-?"

"I'm sick," she explained cautiously. "I can't be outside all the time."

"So Pan keeps you here?" I inquired.

"No," she said quickly. "I mean, he doesn't make me stay. Peter wants to heal me."

"You don't really believe that, do you, Wendy?" Baelfire said. "He's not that kind of guy."

"I swear, he-"

"You shouldn't be in here."

I whirled around and found a rather large group of boys blocking our exit.

I yelped in pain as suddenly, a small needle pierced my skin. I stared down at the arrow and watched in disbelief the persistent lilac glow spread over my body.

"Squid Ink," I muttered.

"Felix?" Wendy squeaked. "Please don't hurt them."

"No worries, girlie. I'm just following Peter's orders," Felix stated.

"And that's a reason not to worry?" I bit out.

Felix stepped forward and stopped right in front of me. "You still think you're winning?"

Had I been able to move, I would have raised my chin. "I always win."

"Now, let's look at this," he said sarcastically. "You are all paralyzed, unable to defend yourselves and we have all the time in the world to search you for the vessel."

"Ah," I said. "So that's what you want..."

"Now, who of you has it," Felix mused, stepping past me to inspect the others.

"Not telling," Baelfire snapped at him.

"You don't need to tell," Felix told him. "We can search. Boys."

"You won't find it," I said, smiling broadly.

"Oh, I think we will."

"No, you won't. I gave the vessel to Rumple."

Felix' eyes widened while I heard several sighs of relief. "It's not possible."

"But it is," I said. "Get used to it. I'm always one step ahead."

"Are you?"

Lazily, Pan strolled into the cave, walking in wearing an amused smirk.

"Peter," Wendy exclaimed. "Please don't hurt them! This is Bae-"

"I know," he said quickly. "I'm not hurting them. Today." Pan, too, stopped in front of me. "One step ahead, are you?"

"Yes."

He pulled his hand from behind his back. "We were searching for this."

My eyes widened as I saw what he held. He held it up and smirked at me over the rim of the vessel.

"How did you get that?"

"I met your dear friend Rumple in the woods."

"What did you do to him?"

"Oh, nothing. You can find him about half a mile down the path. I got what I wanted. I'm not ridding myself of all obstacles today. Got to keep the game interesting."

I glared at him and he outright laughed.

"Let me tell you this – no matter how many steps you're ahead. I'll always best you."

"We'll see."

"I think we are seeing. Felix, hold onto that for me," he added, pushing the vessel into the other boy's hand.

Then, Pan turned away from me and walked towards the bed. "C'mon," he said, picking the girl up effortlessly. "Up you go..."

"Wendy!" Baelfire yelled. "Let her go, Pan!"

"He's not hurting me, Bae, I swear-"

"If you'll excuse us," Pan interrupted. "Me and my girl have places to be. Let's go, boys."

With that, Pan walked out of the cave, closely followed by his boys.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are, as always, appreciated :)<strong>


	14. Something There

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd and alerted and thanks to Forbidden Moons for reviewing. Seriously, though, I'd love it if a few more people would review *hinthint***

* * *

><p><strong>Something There<strong>

* * *

><p>It felt a bit like melting when the paralyzing effect of the Squid Ink slowly wore off. First, I could move my fingers, then my hands, feet, legs and finally I could roll my shoulders.<p>

As I could freely move again, I found that the effect was wearing off on the others as well. Baelfire was already able to move as I turned to him.

"We need to find my father," he said. "Who knows what Pan did to him."

I nodded quickly. "Look, I have a vague idea where he is, I'll just jump over there," I told him. "You wait for the others and follow."

"Be careful," Snow White said as I saw her fingers twitch.

I nodded again and then closed my eyes. As I opened them again, I was in the middle of the woods, right where I had last seen Rumple. Half a mile, Pan had said, meaning Rumple would have gone back in the direction of the shore.

"Rumple?" I called.

"Over here, dearie!"

I cried out in relief and rushed to follow the voice. Rumple, too, was paralyzed by the ink and stood frozen, merely able to wave his hand at me.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. He's got the vessel."

"I know."

* * *

><p>"<em>Why are you so glum?" I inquired as I set the tea tray down on the table in the library.<em>

"_Not glum."  
><em>

_"Yes, you are. You've been sulking all day, it's not like you." I filled a cup with tea and handed it to him. "Spill, love."  
><em>

_"It... it's my son's birthday."  
><em>

_"Oh," I whispered, sitting down in an armchair. "What happened to him? You never told me."_

_Rumple sighed heavily. "He... uh... he's fallen through a portal. Into another world. I've been trying to get to him ever since."  
><em>

_I straightened up. "But I can cross worlds. I'm sure I can find a way to take him with me. I'll just jump to that other realm and find him-"  
><em>

_"He's gone to a land without magic," Rumple said swiftly. "You could never return."  
><em>

_My eyes widened in disbelief. "A land without magic? Why would anyone go there?"  
><em>

_Again, he sighed. "Bae – that was his name, Baelfire – he, uh, he didn't like me being the Dark One. He thought it'd be the solution to just go to a land where magic wasn't an issue."  
><em>

_"And you didn't go with him?" I asked lightly._

_He opened his mouth and closed it again without uttering a single sound. _

"_I see," I said quickly. "Maybe we can find a solution. If you were the one to cross the realm, it would solve the problem. You wouldn't have to return."  
><em>

_"But I'd have no magic."  
><em>

_"Well, but you'd have your son," I said, though I felt a pang in my chest at the thought of him leaving forever._

"_Maybe," Rumple said. "You think you can dig something up?"  
><em>

_I leant back in my chair. "I could go searching the library," I told him. "But it'd come at a price."  
><em>

_He giggled. "You're learning."  
><em>

_"I've got an excellent teacher," I told him._

"_Tell me then," he said gesturing for me to elaborate. "What do you want?"  
><em>

_"I don't know yet. Let's just say, one day, you have to do me a favour."_

* * *

><p>Rumple rubbed his shoulders as he sat down on a nearby stump. "Now that he's got the vessel, what does he need next?"<p>

I sighed. "He needs someone to sacrifice," I reminded him.

Rumple pulled a face. "He'll want to use me."

I gave a dry laugh, but he did not seem amused. "You don't really think that, do you?"

"No, no, it makes sense – the prophecy, remember? The boy that brought me to Bae will be my undoing – Henry. I will die trying to save him."

"No," I told him. "He won't use you."

"Morgaine-"

"I won't let you sacrifice yourself. End of discussion. That's madness."

"It's the right thing to do," he bit back. "She would want me to."

I raised my eyebrows. "She? Belle? Tell me one reason why she would want you to die if she loves you."

"She wants me to be good."

"I bet she wants you to be alive, too," I told him, shaking my head.

"You don't understand-"

"You're right, I don't. I don't really know what caused this change of heart. You used to be all for self-preservation."

"It's been a nasty habit," he said darkly.

"It's been a very healthy habit."

He sighed heavily. "My son is right about me," he said gravely. "I'll go back to her – and I'll realize that the only thing standing between me and my happy ending is the boy-"

I smiled lightly as I sat down next to him. "Don't you know? You're the villain. Villain's don't get happy endings."

I would have sworn he almost smiled.

* * *

><p>"<em>I have something for you," I said, dropping a whole bundle of scrolls onto the table.<em>

"_So many?"  
><em>

_"Well, I wasn't so sure what exactly – so I kind of just brought everything that said something about crossing realms. Oh," I added. "And this one."  
><em>

_I fished out the most precious of the scrolls. Predicting the uproar I would cause if they found out, I had hid that one from the Elders when I took all the others with me. _

"_What's that?"  
><em>

_"An ancient ritual," I informed him. "With it, you can become purely magical. Like me. Only, it comes at a price."  
><em>

_"And what would that be?" he asked, reaching out to look at the scroll. _

"_Several people to sacrifice," I said, sinking to a chair at the table. "Including someone who bears the Heart of the Truest Believer, which, too, is nearly impossible to find."  
><em>

_He studied the scroll. "This still doesn't solve my problem about having magic."  
><em>

_"Well, it is a land without magic. Unless you manage to bring everything with you, all those items with magic of themselves..."  
><em>

_"They would still work?" he inquired._

"_Aren't you the teacher?" I retorted but upon seeing the expression on his face, I relented. "Probably. Might not be as effective, but they probably wouldn't completely lose their magic. I can't be sure..."  
><em>

_"There must be a way to bring magic in that land."  
><em>

_"Rumple," I sighed._

"_What?"  
><em>

_"You can't take magic with you," I said matter-of-factly. "It's not like you can bottle it up."  
><em>

_"What if I could?" he said, leaning forward._

"_You can't. Pure magic – and that's what we're talking about here – is born out of true love. And you can't possibly bottle love. I'm telling you, it's impossible."  
><em>

_He leant back thoughtfully. "We will see."_

* * *

><p>"Papa?"<p>

Rumple jolted to his feet as the group, led by a very worried Baelfire emerged from the woods and onto the clearing where we waited.

"Bae-"

"I'm glad you're okay." Baelfire rushed forward to hug his father.

I smirked but walked past them to join the rest of the group and give them their privacy. It was good to know that Baelfire did care for his father, after all.

Snow White was smiling softly while Regina seemed rather put off by the display.

"Is everyone all right?" I asked.

"All right?" Emma repeated. "Pan's got the vessel. He could do the ritual any minute-"

"You heard him. He still needs one of us to sacrifice and he's dragging it out for his own amusement. We still have a chance," I reassured her.

"How do you know that he's not going to use someone else?" David asked.

"Who would he use?" I challenged. "One of his boys? Never."

"Well, he is ruthless," Regina said darkly.

"Maybe, but he's not dumb," I told her. "He would lose all his authority, all the respect they have for him. He won't sacrifice one of his boys, no... He's going to make a display of catching one of us."

"Well, great," Regina snapped. "So we just wait until he does it, or what?"

I shook my head. "No, of course no. You forget, love, that we are in advantage. We know what he plans. We're going to be one step ahead."

"And how?"

"We're going to pay him a visit," I said.

"Do you mean what I think you mean?" Hook asked, excitement glimmering in his eyes.

"Oh yes," I said, grinning at the pirate. "And I'm going to need your help. We are going to steal the vessel back."


	15. Plan B

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd and alerted and to Forbidden Moons for reviewing. Dearies, with all those reading, couldn't I please get a few more reviews? I'd really, really, appreciate feedback :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Plan B<strong>

* * *

><p>I felt the warmth of the crackling fire on my back. Though several people had protested, I insisted on granting us this night as pause. If I was going to do something risky, I would rather do it in daylight and after a good night's sleep.<p>

That part did not work out. I was freezing and it was keeping me from sleeping. Now, I had seated myself close to the fire to warm up, but of course, sleep would not come to me like this.

"What _are_ you doing?"

I sighed heavily. "Can't sleep, love. I'm cold."

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. "So you sit with your back to the fire. To warm your face, yes?"

"A look in the flames perishes the night vision," I told him.

"C'mon, dearie," he said. "You sleep next to me."

"No, Rumple," I protested weakly as he pulled me. "Seriously..."

"Now, please, there'll be no damage."

"Please, love, you've got your girl at home-"

"I want you to sleep next to me, not _with _me," he told me dryly.

I rolled my eyes at him and let him pull me down onto his blanket.

"Relax, dearie," he advised, wrapping his arms around me. "We've done this before."

"Yes, we have," I muttered, nestling against him. I sighed contently. "You're warm."

"That's the idea," he said.

"No," I retorted quickly. "I mean... back in the day, you were always cold. Now, you're warm... even your eyes."

"My eyes?"

"All brown and rich and warm," I whispered.

I felt him hum, the sound vibrating in his chest and then I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Easy," I said. "Sneak in, get vessel, sneak out."<p>

"I'm afraid it's not going to be quite so easy," Emma said.

"Really?" I inquired dryly.

"Look," she said. "Neal and I have stolen a lot of stuff back in the day, we know a thing or two about it – when you think it's easy, it never is."

"Fine, then," I said. "You come along. Hook, Baelfire, you and I."

I met Rumple's eyes and he gave me a reassuring nod. The Saviour, though, was not fully convinced.

"You want to sneak in there with four people?" she asked incredulously. "You're completely mad."

"No, I'm not. I can disguise us with magic. I want Hook with us, because we are planning something evil and cunning – and he, you know, attempts to be evil and cunning. The two of you are the master thieves, so you're coming and I'm the magic we need to get out again. Do you follow me?"

"Yes, I follow you," she snapped. "Four is too much."

"Good. You and your lover choose who of you gets to save the day."

She raised her eyebrows and turned to Baelfire.

"I'm going," he said.

"What? No! We only just saved you-"

"We're saving my son."

"Hello? He's my son, too!"

"See," I told her. "This isn't going to get solved. Please, spare us the time. Just come along together."

"Fine," she barked out finally. "Let's just go."

"Gladly," I said. She, followed by Baelfire headed for the end of the clearing while I stepped to Rumple.

"Our plan's going to work," I told him. "We're going to save Henry."

He nodded again, watching his son worriedly over my shoulder. "You keep an eye on him."

"Always," I promised.

* * *

><p>"Gold! We need to have a word."<p>

Regina grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away from the clearing.

"What do you want?"

"Look," she said. "They're going to fail."

He smirked at her with lazy amusement. "You underestimate Morgaine."

"I think she's an arrogant girl who relies too much on her power. If we leave it to her, Henry will die."

"You're wrong," he snapped.

"Am I?" Regina bit back. "Listen, let's just kill Pan before anything else happens."

"We can't kill him," he said forcefully. "The only way to kill him is for me to die."

She groaned. "There must be something else! Something to trap him, some other fate-"

He suddenly straightened up. "A fate worse than death?"

She smirked triumphantly. "That's my malevolent imp! Have you got a spell?"

"No... but back in my shop... I might have just the thing."

"Then why didn't you bring it with you?" she asked, hitting his shoulder.

"Because I came here to kill him!" he snapped. "And die in the process."

She laughed coldly. "Well, I could've told you that wasn't going to happen. You forget, dear, I've known you a long time. I know all about your survival instincts."

"Yeah, well, that just kicked in," he muttered.

"Good," she said. "We just need a plan B. We have to get back to your shop, pick up that item and all our problems are solved."

"Crossing realms?" he asked sarcastically. "Is that all?"

"Yes," she said. "That is all."

* * *

><p>"Are they still sleeping?" Baelfire whispered incredulously.<p>

"Did you never sleep in as a child?" I asked.

"Loved it."

"See."

I took a deep breath and turned to the others. "They boys are sleeping, but I doubt Pan'll leave his camp unprotected. We need to be careful."

"You said you could turn us invisible," Hook reminded me.

"No, that's not what I said. I can however make us blend in with our environment. Kind of like human chameleon," I explained. "It will go largely unnoticed unless someone is looking directly at you as you move. So if you see someone looking your direction, freeze."

The three of them nodded and I took a deep breath before closing my eyes and concentrating. Doing this on myself was one thing but expanding on three other people was quite the task. At the very least, I would be very exhausted afterwards.

I opened my eyes again and grinned as I saw the crimpling in colours as Emma moved her hand to look at it.

"Amazing," she whispered and I giggled.

"Right? Now, let's do this. I don't know how long I can keep it up."

We slowly sneaked down the path to the camp. It lay in eerie silence, only interrupt by a few obtrusive snores from the boys.

"Where is it?" Baelfire muttered and we all stopped to look around.

It had to be around here somewhere. Where else would Pan keep it? He would not let it out of his sphere.

"There's Henry," Emma breathed behind me.

"Where?" Baelfire asked and I saw the air move as Emma pointed the boy out. He was a rather small kid, sleeping soundly.

"Let's just get him," Emma whispered. "Grab and get out of here."

"No," I hissed. "You have no chance of getting away from here."

"I don't care!" she snapped.

"Let's get him," Baelfire whispered.

* * *

><p>From the depth of the ocean emerged a pretty young woman, regarding Regina with a look of absolutely loathing.<p>

"Ariel," Regina called. "Long time."

"It's true, mermaids can cross realms," he said. "But they can't be trusted."

"This one can," she said. "We have history together."

"Well, that would explain the distasteful look on her face," he retorted.

"Now, she's going to help us," Regina said.

The mermaid set to speak, but no sound came from her mouth.

"Oh right," the queen remarked. "Your voice."

With a lazy wave, Regina returned what was long lost; the mermaid gasped and yelled, "Why would I help you?"

"I can give you what you want," Regina informed dryly. "Legs. Also, your prince is at the place where I'm sending you."

The mermaids dived and surfaced again, closer to the shore. "Where do I need to go?"

"Storybrooke."

"Storybrooke?"

"Yes," he said, walking slowly towards her. He bent down, picking up a sand dollar. He waved his hand over it, making it glow as it memorized the message he intended to send to Belle.

"And what do I need to bring back?"

"An object to help us defeat Pan-"

"I'll need a bit more than that," she started.

"Pan's got his ears everywhere, dearie," he said, handing her the sand dollar. "Give this to a woman named Belle. She'll know exactly what to do."

* * *

><p>"No! Bae! Emma!"<p>

Again, I saw air and colours shifting as the two moved towards their son.

"Idiots," I heard Hook mutter.

He had no idea how right he was with that. I gasped loudly as a piercing pain spread in my arm. I looked down incredulously and my eyes widened as I saw an arrow sticking out of it.

"Morgaine," Hook breathed.

I turned my head over my shoulder to see the archer; but by now, so many of the boys had awoken that it was hard to make him out in the crowd. I reached to pull the arrow out, groaning pain.

"Morgaine," Hook repeated. I turned to look at him – and saw him. The shock and pain had shaken my concentration – both of us very visible again.

I whirled around to see Baelfire and Emma, halfway to their son, visible as well.

"Get them!" I heard Felix yell his order over the tumult.

"Run!" I screamed to the others and made to pull Hook with me. The two others caught up with us at once and I waved my hand, throwing a group of boys to the side to make way for us.

I heard the sirring before I saw the arrow flying. I ducked it and my eyes widened as I saw it flying towards Hook; he gave a startled scream as he was suddenly pushed out of the way and stumbled.

"No," I gasped.

Baelfire had been the one to push Hook away; the lilac glow spreading from the wound on his hand now showed that it had been bathed in Squid Ink.

"Baelfire," I breathed.

Hook caught my arm with his good hand and pulled me along, making me stumble as well.

"Let's go."

"No," I yelled. "No, this is not the plan, we can't-"

"Morgaine," Emma yelled as she was surrounded by a large group of boys.

My rescue action was heavier than anticipated due to emotionality; the boys literally flew through the air as I freed her. She, too, send a longing look to Baelfire who just mouthed for her to leave. I was shivering all over as I let Hook pull me away. Rumple was going to kill me.


	16. Skin Deep

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, alerted and to Forbidden Moons for reviewing.  
><strong>**I apologize for the long wait, my computer crashed and for the better part of the last two weeks, I did not know if I would ever get my documents back. But I did and so please enjoy the new chapter :)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Rumpelstiltskin?" I called out as I opened my eyes to the foyer.<em>

"_He's not here."  
><em>

_A young woman had stepped into the room, holding her broom so tight that her knuckles were turning white. I cocked my head to the side and eyed her from head to toe. She was very pretty, though her eyes were rimmed red._

"_Who are you?" she asked carefully._

"_Who are you?" I retorted._

"_Belle," she said._

"_Belle? Doesn't ring a bell."_

"_Hilarious," she dead-panned._

"_Oh, I crack myself up - wait," I interrupted myself. "Are you the maid?"_

_I vaguely remembered Rumple boasting about his newest deal just a few weeks ago; I got so bored by his schemes that I had not paid much attention, but a maid had somehow been involved._

"_Yes," she said._

"_Great. Is your master home?"  
><em>

_She winced as I called him her master and she shook her head. "He's out."  
><em>

_"Oh, fine then. I'll wait."  
><em>

_"I don't know when he'll return," she said. "It may take a while."  
><em>

_"Oh, love, I got all the time in the world," I told her._

"_Would you fancy a tea?"  
><em>

_"Very much," I said, stepping past her in to the main hall.  
><em>

_She returned mere minutes later with a tray carrying the tea pot and a cup._

"_Why don't you join me," I offered, producing a second cup with the flick of my wrist._

_Her eyes widened slightly and she shook her head. "I have much to clean-"_

_With another wave of my hand, the shelves were dusted off and floor was wiped._

"_There. Now you have the time."  
><em>

_"He won't like that," she predicted._

"_What does he like?"_

_She giggled and the sudden outburst of cheerfulness took me by surprise. She turned even prettier when she smiled. _

"_There you go," I said. "No need to be so glum."  
><em>

_"He took me from my friends and family, I have every right to be glum!"  
><em>

_"Did he hurt you?" I asked and she shook her head. "Did he force you to come here? Was he cruel?"  
><em>

_Again, she denied it._

"_Then you have no need to be glum. You'll find he's not such a bad guy unless you anger him. I speak from years of experience."  
><em>

_"Unravelling the monster for the maid, are you?"_

_I smirked as Belle jumped at his entrance. "You're not a monster, love."  
><em>

_He walked into the hall and stopped at the table. "Why aren't you cleaning?"  
><em>

_"I-"  
><em>

_"I gave her a hand," I told him calmly. "Tea?"  
><em>

_"Are you my maid?" he snapped at me._

"_I wanted entertainment, you were out. And your opinion might differ from mine, but I'm not entertained by watching her clean. So I got rid of that little problem."_

_He turned his head and snapped at the girl, "Kitchen is filthy. Clean it."  
><em>

_She hurried out of the room and the door fell shut behind her._

"_You know," I said. "You don't need to be mean. She's kinda pretty when she's happy."  
><em>

_"I never noticed."  
><em>

_"I believe that," I said, getting up. _

"_What did you want?"  
><em>

_"I wanted to see you," I told him. "Now, I lost all interest in that."  
><em>

_"I don't believe you," he said._

"'_Course not," I bit out. "I obviously must have wanted something. Why would anyone just care about you?"_

_He stared at me in disbelief and I did not wait for his answer before vanishing._

* * *

><p>I was guiding my hand over the wound caused by the arrow. It slowly started to heal up, but that was only very weak comfort.<p>

"You let Bae get captured," Rumple breathed through his teeth. "You _promised_ to look out for him."

"Your son played the hero," I said. "It was going to hit Hook."

"But it didn't."

I glared up at him. "All this wouldn't have happened if Emma and Baelfire didn't throw our plan out of the window. We wanted to get the vessel, they thought it smart to just grab Henry."

"Is he all right?"

I looked over to Regina who had suddenly sat up at the mention of the boy's name.

"He looked fine," I told her. "Didn't have time to chat."

She smiled what I thought to be the first honest smile I had ever seen on her.

"Well, what do we do now?" David asked loudly. "Pan's got everything to do the ritual. We need to get Neal and Henry out of there."

I bit my lip. He was right. This did not go as planned, not at all. We needed another plan, quick.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked Rumple, who pulled a face. "Look," I said. "It's really not my fault. It was an unfortunate coincidence."

"There are no coincidences."

"Then it's fate."

He narrowed his eyes at me, but got up slowly. "Let's take a walk."

* * *

><p><em>As I entered the castle, I heard the violent crashing of glass and the rumbling of falling items. I hurried towards the hall and found Rumple violently smashing his cabinet.<em>

_I shrieked and rushed forward as he grabbed one cup after another and threw it against the wall. I practically flew forward and grabbed his arm. He growled and threw me away from him, making me crash against the back wall, because with his physical outburst, his magic had erupted as well._

_Breathing heavily, I stared up at him. He, too, was staring at me, just as incredulous as I._

"_Morgaine-"  
><em>

_I slowly got up and walked towards him. "Is that what it's come to now?"  
><em>

_"Morgaine, I am-"  
><em>

_He winced as I slapped him in the face. "Now we're even."  
><em>

_He met my eyes and then turned away, brushing past the table that still held a single cup._

"_You know, if you don't like the tableware anymore, you can just put it away instead of destroying it all."_

"_It's not about the tableware."  
><em>

_"What is it about?"  
><em>

_He groaned. "Why are you here?"  
><em>

_"I don't know, I just had a bad feeling, like I needed to check up on you. Mind, I was right about that."  
><em>

_He sighed heavily and abruptly stopped in front of a window. Only now did I realize that he had opened the curtains, something he had refused to do in all the years I knew him._

"_It's Belle."  
><em>

_"Belle – the maid?" I asked._

"_Yes."  
><em>

_"Well," I said, urging him on. "What about her?"  
><em>

_"She thought she could cure me. With true love's kiss."  
><em>

_I raised an eyebrow at him. "So you're upset she kissed you? Clearly. What man would want to be kissed by a pretty girl?"_

"_I'm not a man," he said sternly. "It's just the queen who put funny thoughts in her head."  
><em>

_I walked up next to him and leaned against the wall to watch him. "Why would she kiss you to cure you – if she did not believe it is true love?"  
><em>

_"You forget, dearie," he bit out. "No one can ever love me."  
><em>

_For a short moment, I did not know what to think of it; I just knew I felt like crying when I heard that he actually believed that. I had always known he was lonely and sad, though I had done my best to cheer him up time and again. But the true depth of this feeling had never struck me before. I shook my head slightly._

"_You're wrong," I told him. _

_He huffed and strode past me, towards the doors. "Not you, too."  
><em>

_"What? Rumple!" I hurried to catch up with him. "I wouldn't lie to you, I never have. If that girl truly loves you – don't let her go. Don't destroy this."_

"_Do you really want me to be with some other girl?"_

"_What are you suggesting?" I asked._

"_Oh, I know, dearie. Let me tell you, it's just a crush. Get over it."  
><em>

_I raised my eyebrows incredulously as he passed me. "What are you going to do?"  
><em>

_"Throw her out!" he announced. "I don't want her here anymore."  
><em>

_"You're standing in the way of your own happiness," I told him. "Whomever you'd find it with."_

_He did not answer me and the doors closed behind him. _

* * *

><p>"We got a new plan," I announced as we entered the clearing again.<p>

"And what would that be?" Regina inquired.

"Good question," I said, smiling. "They're not going to do the ritual in the camp, they are going to find a landmark, something special. Like the highest top or Skull Rock. Both seem likely."

"Sorry," Emma said. "But I don't see the plan in there."

"Right," I retorted. "We'll attack them on their way. Try to get Baelfire back – or the vessel."

"But preferably my son," Rumple snapped.

"Yes," I said. "I'm just saying we have options."

"Do you think this will work?" Snow White asked, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

I shrugged. "It's our last chance."

"You do realize, that every plan you made so far has failed," Regina sneered.

"Firstly, that's not true. Secondly, the last plan would have worked had not someone interfered." My eyes wandered over to Emma, who huffed. "But if you got something better, please."

She glanced at Rumple, who slightly shook his head. "Fine," she bit out. "Where do we wait for them?"

"We'll split," Rumple said. "You, I, the pirate – and, uh... Miss Swan go down to the shore in case he chooses Skull Rock. Morgaine goes with the charming couple."

"Wonderful," I said.

"Why, I got to make you pay somehow, dearie."

I rolled my eyes and bent down to pick up my bag. "Just let us get this over with."

* * *

><p><em>I felt it very clearly when he called out to me. It was disturbing, partly because he usually never did that and partly because the emotional turmoil that reached me nearly knocked me off my feet.<em>

_I got up from my seat at the dinner table._

"_Milady?" _

_All the priestesses had set down the cutlery at once and I took a breath to steady myself. "You keep up the dinner. I have an appointment."  
><em>

_"But-"  
><em>

_I did not stay to hear what the hindrance was. Instead, I opened my eyes again at his library. I had been right to assume him to be in here. He was sitting in the far corner, staring into nothingness._

"_Rumple?" I said carefully. "You reached out to me-?"  
><em>

_"Did I interrupt?"  
><em>

_"No," I lied, sitting down next to him. "What happened?"  
><em>

_"Belle," he whispered._

_I frowned. Ever since that day, neither of us had mentioned her or our conversation again. Seeing him so distraught made me assume the worst. _

"_What-?"  
><em>

_"She's dead."  
><em>

_"Oh," I breathed. "I am so sorry..."  
><em>

_He held up a hand. "You don't comprehend how... this is my fault."  
><em>

_"No," I said decisively. "No, death is no one's fault, Rumple. It's nature, that's life. People leave us and people die."  
><em>

_"How would you know?" he growled._

"_I may still look like I'm twenty, but you know better than anyone that it's not true. I see people die all the time. I know it's hard. I know you suffer. But at the end of the day, it's not your fault."  
><em>

_Unshed tears were glistening in his eyes._

"_Rumple," I whispered again, reaching out to touch him, trying to provide any form of comfort. _

"_Will you stay, tonight?"_

"_I-"  
><em>

_"I just don't want to be alone."  
><em>

_I nodded quickly. "Of course, love. I'll stay."_

* * *

><p><strong> Reviews always will and still are welcome ;)<strong>


	17. For Whom The Bell Tolls

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd and alerted and most of all to Forbidden Moons for reviewing. Still a few more reviews would be nice ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>For Whom The Bell Tolls<strong>

* * *

><p>"Do you think they'll come here?" David asked as we climbed up towards the hilltop.<p>

"I have no idea."

"Gold must know," Snow White said. "He sees the future."

"Time stands still in Neverland," I told her. "Sight doesn't work here. It's not reliable, anyway."

"It's been very reliable," she said, sighing.

"Has it?"

"He was completely right about Emma and-"

"He created that curse," I said forcefully. "I expect he knew a thing or two about it."

"Okay, I have no idea what the problem between you is now-"

"We had a spat, all right?" I said, hoping to close the matter.

"Because of Neal?" David asked.

"Among other things," I said distractedly. I was eyeing a large sycamore, examining the lower branches.

"Arrow-girl," I said. "Can you hit from up there?"

"Of course," Snow White said.

"Good. Cause we need you to do that."

* * *

><p>The mermaid surfaced from the depth of the ocean once more and he jumped up, striding forward to meet her. "Did you get it?"<p>

"We ran into a few complications, but yes."

She reached into the bag she carried and pulled the item out; Pandora's Box, their one and only chance to contain Pan and make him suffer.

"You fulfilled your end of the bargain," Regina said. "Now you shall have legs whenever you want to."

The girl's face split into a wide smile as Regina enchanted her bracelet once more.

"Belle," she said suddenly, "Wanted you to know that Pan is keeping a prisoner."

He had flinched at the mention of her name, but now frowned.

"A girl named Wendy," Ariel continued. "Her brothers are in Storybrooke. Belle wants you to save her."

"Henry is all that matters," Regina announced.

"We got this for you – Belle and the girl's brothers are relying on you. It's the least you can do to save the girl."

He exchanged a glance with Regina, who merely rolled her eyes. He knew, though, had always known, that he could never deny Belle.

"When you return," he said. "Tell Belle I love her. And she was right. I _will_ see her again."

* * *

><p>"I don't like it," I muttered, clinging onto the tree. Even on the lowest branch, this was incredibly far off the ground. I took a deep breath to study myself and turned my head to see Snow White, sitting completely relaxed on the branch next to me. She was busy controlling the strain of her arrow.<p>

"Afraid of heights?"

"What gave me away? My excessive shivering or my inability to look down?"

"Well, we all got our fears," she said, smiling kindly. "Don't worry. Before you know it, I will have shot my arrow and we're down here."

"Your optimism is astonishing."

She kept on smiling. "Good always wins."

"Does it?"

"Don't you think?" she asked. "No matter what was put in our way – David and I always found each other."

Her gaze travelled down to where David was hiding in the bushes with his sword drawn, ready to strike when time was due.

"We conquered all evil. And even when we suffered the curse, we still found each other again. And we will win once more. We will save Henry. We will save our family."

I sighed heavily. "My experience shows that in the end, nature does what is best for the balance. It doesn't care about good and evil."

Snow White continued smiling and I turned my eyes away. Her optimism was suffocating. I tended to be sure of myself and my plans, but I also tended to be realistic. Just believing in an idealistic saying of 'good always wins' would never help me win.

"You're just worried that you'll disappoint him."

"Excuse me?"

"Rumpelstiltskin," she said. "You want to please him. Old teacher-student mechanics setting in again."

"You're wrong."

"It's so obvious," she said. "That favour you asked of him? You're not going to collect it, right? Just putting on a show..."

"Oh, I am going to collect. I always do. He taught me that," I added, smirking at her. "I never forget."

Her smile widened even more. "I am right."

"I don't need to prove myself, love." But if I had to prove myself, I thought, it would be his approval that really mattered. She had hit the nail far too squarely on the head to tell her, though. No need to encourage her psycho-analyzing.

"David's waving," Snow said suddenly. "They're coming our way."

* * *

><p>"Where did you go?" Emma exclaimed furiously. "I turned and you were gone!"<p>

"We had business to attend to," Regina told her arrogantly.

"They could already be there-"

"I think they're taking the other road," he told her firmly. "He knows we already knew about Skull Rock, he won't take the risk."

"Then why are we here?" she asked.

"To get this," he said, holding up the box.

"And 'this' is what?" Hook asked.

"Pan's got his ears everywhere," he said. "Not going to take the risk."

She huffed in exasperation. "Then what are we doing now?"

"Moving up the path again. Maybe we'll reach the others in time," Regina offered with a cold smile.

Emma glared at her but agreed. He pocketed the box again and allowed himself a victorious smirk.

* * *

><p>David's sign had been right. Shortly after, I heard the clear sound of footsteps and muffled talking as Pan and his boys moved throughout the forest. Every now and then, I heard a protesting yell as well – they were dragging Baelfire with them, of course.<p>

What was Henry doing, I wondered? Even if the boy believed in the magic-is-dying story, the capture of his own father must have given him a pause.  
>Or was Pan actually forcing the boy, now? Thus far, they had all put up the pretence that Henry was helping voluntarily, they had even called him a Lost Boy.<p>

Then, they came into sight. Pan walked first. Two boys right behind him carried a stretcher on which the girl was lying, pale as ever. Snow grabbed my hand as the next boy came into sight. It was Henry, turning his head forwards and backwards with worried glances between the girl and his father.

For Baelfire was dragged by shortly after, tied with ropes and led by the burliest of the boys. Snow White reached for her bow and arrow and aimed. I watched the tip of the arrow move very cautiously as she focused – and shot. The arrow left for its pray and moments after, the burly boy leading Baelfire yelped in startled pain. The whole group in front of him whirled around to look at the damage while Snow White aimed again. Again, the arrow shot forward; but this time, she missed. She emitted a surprised sound of anger right before one of the boys pointed up to us.

"There!" he called.

"Jump!" Snow hissed.

My eyes widened in panic as she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the abyss with her. Luckily for me, the height was not as significant as it had seemed to me from above. Still, we landed with a considerable impact and I groaned at the pain in my legs as I hit the ground.

Our descent had not gone unnoticed; several of the boys were pointing in our direction. Another set of yells and screams suggested that David had attacked as well as we stumbled further into the woods.

"We need to split!" I gasped. "We need to get Baelfire!"

She nodded quickly and dashed to the right while I left for the opposite direction. In a wide circle, I returned to the path only to see that the boys had spread far apart. I pressed against a tree to take in the situation. Pan, the girl and Henry were still on the path, surrounded by only a handful of boys, one of them holding onto a struggling Bae. On the other side, the sounds of fighting were to be heard.

"Let me talk to them," Henry begged. "I bet, if I explained, they'd understand-"

I closed my eyes, steadied myself and sampled all my magic by stepping up to the path. "There's nothing to understand, Henry."

"You again," Pan sneered. "Boys! Time to play!"

"Your boys don't scare me, Pan," I said, easily lighting a fire in my palm. "Bring it on."

He sent me an infuriating smirk and I stepped further towards him.

"No!" I heard Snow call out to me. "Watch out!"

I had only time to turn my head before the heavy arrow hit me. I gasped and choked, looking down onto my stomach to see what had hit me. My legs gave way as the pain spread from my stomach into every corner of my body. It was one of Rumpelstiltskin's enchanted arrows, I realized, before the blinding pain turned into complete darkness.


	18. Elaborate Lies

**Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, alerted and to Forbidden Moons for reviewing :)**

**If you are confused as to when this conversation takes place, I suggest you check out Chapter 6 'Make Your Choice' again. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Elaborate Lies<strong>

* * *

><p>Rumple held out his hand and I handed him the roll to study it. His eyes flew over the page and I watched his brows furrow. "It says someone else has to die."<p>

"Yes," I said slowly. "So that the bearer of the heart – Henry – stands between life and death. See, this ritual is very old. Archaic."

"Well," he said. "It doesn't matter. We stop him before it. Won't we?"

I bit my lip, unsure how to break the news. He caught on at once.

"Morgaine," he said warningly.

"Look, I can't stop him before he actually attempts the ritual, it's-"

"Lives are at risk! No one cares about Avalon's rules-"

"It's not like these rules don't have a reason!" I snapped, irritated. "All magic comes with a price, you taught me that. Stripping him of his magic without reason will have consequences none of us would like to pay."

He glared at me and I glared back. It was not like I _liked_ people to die. Yet desperate times called for desperate measures. I simply did not see any other way.

"And getting him to do the ritual is the only way?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure, dearie?"

"I am sure, Rumple," I said impatiently. "Look, once he kills that person, I can take his magic away. It'll take a little to fade, but it will be quick enough to save Henry."

Very slowly, Rumple sat down on a trunk. "Fine. We need a plan, then. The Charmings aren't going to go with this."

"All right. We don't tell them."

He nodded thoughtfully and I sat down next to him.

"We'd need someone in Pan's ranks. A spy. Someone who works for us."

"They won't betray him," Rumple said darkly.

"Then what if we make them do it?"

_He ripped the second boy's heart out just as swiftly as the first one's. "From now on," he said slowly. "You are going to do exactly as I say."_

"Take a heart, you mean?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "Look, we need someone on the inside."

"No, no, I agree," he said. "What does he need?"

"Well, the vessel," I explained, looking at the scroll again. "So we'd need to find it first and then get it to him."

"We just give it to our spy," he muttered.

"Very obvious."

"Right. Let's just say," he mused slowly. "One of us gets separated from the group. Our spy would tip Pan off – and Pan would come to get the vessel."

"The other could even make it look like it was a smart plan to get the vessel out of the way-"

_"Rumple," I whispered, looking frantically around me to see if the others were still within reach. "Did they see you?"  
><em>

_"No."  
><em>

_"Here," I said, pushing the vessel into his hands. "You take it."_

Rumple nodded again. "Yes, that would be quite clever. They're naive enough to believe it, too."

We sat in silence for a short while before I grabbed the scroll again.

"Then," I said. "He'll need someone to sacrifice."

"He's going to use Bae, isn't he?" Rumple said suddenly.

I opened my mouth to disagree, but had to admit that it was very likely. "It would make sense, wouldn't it?"

He shook his head. "I can't let him do it."

"Well, you said our heroes are off to save him. And they took Regina along, that raises their chances."

He smiled wryly. "Then who _will_ we off?"

"Who do you want to get rid of? I'm not picky," I told him.

He gritted his teeth and I rolled my eyes. "Who are you trying to fool?"

"I'm trying to be a good person," he said grimly.

"Well, you're not," I retorted. "Let's just take the pirate."

_"Do you mean what I think you mean?" Hook asked, excitement glimmering in his eyes._

"_Oh yes," I said, grinning at the pirate. "And I'm going to need your help."_

Rumple smirked back at me, old resentment setting in again at the thought of Hook. "How do we get him captured?"

"I'll say that we will steal the vessel back. I take Hook with me, pretend to cover us with magic and let go of the charm in the right moment," I said.

"Just like that?"

"We could make it look like it has a cause?" I suggested. "If we've got our spy, he can like, throw a knife at me or something."

_I gasped loudly as a piercing pain spread in my arm. I looked down incredulously and my eyes widened as I saw an arrow sticking out of it. _

"_Morgaine," Hook breathed._ _I turned to look at him – both of us very visible again. _

"How diabolical," Rumple stated.

_I heard the sirring before I saw the arrow flying. I ducked it and my eyes widened as I saw it flying towards Hook; he gave a startled scream as he was suddenly pushed out of the way and stumbled._

"_No," I gasped._

_Baelfire had been the one to push Hook away; the lilac glow spreading from the wound on his hand now showed that it had been bathed in Squid Ink. _

"_Baelfire," I breathed._

_Hook caught my arm with his good hand and pulled me along, making me stumble as well._

"_Let's go."  
><em>

_"No," I yelled. "No, this is not the plan, we can't-"_

"I learned from the best."

He smirked at me again and then looked over my shoulder at the scroll. "That's it, isn't it?"

"Well," I said slowly. "There'd be one more thing. Pan knows I know. He knows I'll try to interfere."

"What are you saying?"

"He'd have to get rid of me," I said. "Or at least he'd have to believe that."

Rumple's eyes narrowed and he nodded. "I might have something for that."

Curiously, I leant towards him. "What?"

"I got a spell... it would paralyze you. Make you appear dead for a while. Maybe half an hour."

_"It's going to be an arrow. An enchanted arrow."_

"_What will it do?" Baelfire asked, stopping suddenly in his pacing._

"_Let's just say the one who gets hit with it won't be a threat anymore."_

"That'd be enough," I said quickly.

"It'd have to go in the bloodstream, though," he warned me. "It's going to hurt."

"I can take it," I said swiftly.

_He sent me an infuriating smirk and I stepped further towards him._

"_No!" I heard Snow call out to me. "Watch out!"_

"Excellent," he retorted. "So we enchant a weapon-"

"And give the weapon to our spy," I added.

_"This is a very important tool," he said, showing them the poisoned arrow. "If Pan asks about it, you tell him it's a powerful weapon you managed to steal from us. No word of the actual plan we have with it, yes?"  
><em>

He smiled at me and I returned it.

"All that'll be left to do is wait till he starts and take him down," I concluded. "Easy as that."

_Rumpelstiltskin narrowed his eyes at me, but got up slowly. "Let's take a walk."_

_I followed him away and watched as he used the same spell I had used days ago to shield us from eavesdroppers. _

"_You said you would look out for him."  
><em>

_"He pushed Hook away!" I exclaimed. "I couldn't have done anything without it looking suspicious!"  
><em>

_"You do realize what this means, right?" he said dangerously._

"_Yes, I do. And right now, I'm frantic, trying to figure out how to save Bae. But you know as well as I do that we need to get rid of Pan and there is no other way."_

_He was silent, staring at the ground before turning his gaze up to the sky._

"_What's that look for?"  
><em>

_"There might be another way."  
><em>

_"You've got another way?"  
><em>

_"I've got an item," he said slowly. "In my shop and I currently have it fetched for me."  
><em>

_I narrowed my eyes at him. "How would you-?"  
><em>

_"A mermaid owed Regina a favour."  
><em>

_"You're relying on a mermaid," I summed up. "This is madness."  
><em>

_"Not madder than sacrificing my own son," he bit back._

"_All right," I said, straightening up. "How about this? We try your way, but just in case – we keep up with the original plan. So if you don't get it-"  
><em>

_"I can't let Bae die," he ground out._

"_Bae or Henry," I said in a hard voice. "Make your choice."_

"Easy," he confirmed.

I grinned at him and then got up to stretch my legs. "Good, our heroes only need to know that we're looking for the vessel as off now. To destroy it."

He nodded at me and I turned towards the clearing again.

"Can you pull it off?" he called after me.

I looked over my shoulder. "But of course I can. Can you?"


	19. The Ritual

**Sorry for not updating, life's been messy; but nevertheless thank you to everyone who read, fav'd and alerted. Thanks to Forbidden Moons for reviewing.  
>Seriously, though. I've got around 40 people following this story and only one is ever reviewing. It would be really great if I got a few more reviews ;) Thanks already if you decide to leave me a comment :)<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Ritual<strong>

* * *

><p>The soft rustling of leafs was the first thing I heard when I came to. I blinked, but closed my eyes again at once at the brightness. Steadying myself, I tried it again, but was once more blinded by bright green light. The sun shining through the trees, I figured. My heart rate picked up as I realized what was happening – the spell had worked. Did that mean they had just left me lying here, wherever I was? Anger waved through me and I decided that I needed to confirm this outrageous suspicion. Again, I tried to open my eyes. At the fourth try, I managed to keep them open against the light.<p>

It was not even that bright, I figured now. Just my eyes not yet used to light.

"Morgaine?"

I turned my head to see the bearer of that incredulous voice. It was Hook, staring at me with wide eyes.

I groaned and thought about just going to sleep again. "Hook."

"You're alive – how – why?"

I sighed heavily and sat up. My head started spinning suddenly and I let out a startled gasp at the sensation. I took a few moments of steady, deep breathing to get the world to stand still again.

"How are you-?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" I retorted weakly.

"The crocodile sent me. Said something happened to you and I should go and sort it out. Blimey, I found you and you were dead."

"I wasn't," I said. "Just paralyzed."

"You didn't have a heartbeat!" he ground out.

"None you could've detected," I admitted. "It's what that spell does."

He raised his eyebrows in confusion and I sighed again.

"Where are the others?"

"Off to stop the ritual."

"Ugh," I muttered. "All right." I attempted to get up, but the world spun once more and I flopped down to the floor again.

"Whoa, whoa, missy, sit down," Hook said. "You've just been dead."

"Pan's doing the ritual, I have to get there!"

"How about you explain?" he said darkly.

"You're not going to like it."

* * *

><p>"What happened to her?" Emma demanded.<p>

He waved his hand impatiently. "Nothing dramatic."

"Gold? Emma!" Snow White rushed out of the bushes and threw her arms around her daughter. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay."

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" Emma asked cautiously.

"Oh, it's Morgaine," Snow breathed, tears shining in her eyes. "She's dead."

He fought hard to hide a smirk. At least that part of the plan had worked out. They would not go through with it, of course, now that he had the Pandora's Box; but it was good to know his plans still worked.

"What?"

"She got hit by an arrow," Snow White choked out. "She just... there was nothing we could do..."

Emma turned around swiftly, looking accusingly at him. "You said nothing dramatic has happened."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "We need to move on. Now."

She frowned at him. "How can you? She did all this for you and now she died-"

"I have no doubt Morgaine would forgive me for setting priorities," he bit out. "Let's get going."

She shook her head, her face displaying her disgust at him. "It's true after all," she said. "You're a monster."

"Oh, you have no idea, dearie. Let's get going."

He picked up his pace again, his hand clenching around the box he carried with him. Maybe he really was a monster. But at least he was saving the day.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you've been plotting this all the time!" he said angrily. "You were going to sacrifice me!"<p>

"Well, it had to be done," I muttered.

"Please tell me it was the crocodile's idea."

"Stop calling him that," I said impatiently. "Besides, one had to die, we had to pick."

He shook his head, turning away from me. "How can you be so cold?" he muttered.

"Please. Tell me you haven't killed."

"Well, I haven't deliberately tried to get one of my friends killed."

I sighed heavily. "We need to get to the ritual. 'Cause, if we don't, someone _is_ going to die."

"Neal," Hook muttered.

"Right. We need to stop it."

"How do you plan to do that?" Hook asked.

"I don't know. I just will."

He narrowed his eyes at me, but finally nodded. "Fine. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Baelfire was struggling as the pulled him forward and tied him to a tree. He was calling out for Henry; the boy had paled considerably as he was pleading with Pan.<p>

"You never said we had to kill him."

"Are you going to let magic die for your selfish gain?" Pan challenged.

Henry looked from Pan to Bae, visibly torn. "He's my dad," the kid explained gravely.

"You're doing the right thing," Pan assured him. "I'm sure dear Baelfire understands that, deep down."

Swiftly, Pan turned away from the boy and set up the vessel on a very handy rock.

"Henry," Bae pleaded. "Don't trust him, don't – he's going to kill me, he's going to kill you-"

"Magic is dying," Henry said weakly. "Only I can prevent it-"

"It's all a lie, Henry, please, he's lying to you-"

"Someone make him shut up," Pan commanded and two of his boys rushed forward to gag Bae.

"When are we going to intervene?" Emma whispered hurriedly.

His fingers tightened around the box even more. "Soon."

"How about now?" she suggested. "How about we don't let anyone else get killed?"

He was about to tell her that no one even bloody died before, but he caught himself. It was best to keep Morgaine's continued existence a secret until she showed herself. When would that be though? He felt like he could very well use her right about now.

"We're not letting him get killed. I just want to ensure that we make the most out of our little surprise."

She huffed, clearly annoyed and he exchanged a glance with Regina, who looked unusually tense.

He turned back to watch the scenery. Pan had crouched down next to the girl on her stretcher. She was whispering to him hurriedly and he, in turn, was shaking his head. Did she not want him to do to the ritual? Why would she not?  
>Henry, by now, looked deeply disturbed. He had stepped towards his father, but a few of the boys had dragged him back.<p>

"This can't be right," the boy said now, looking over to Pan. "Surely, there's another way."

"There isn't," Pan said swiftly, ignoring the girl's outstretched hand, trying to hold him back. He walked towards Henry.

"Do you really want to be responsible for magic's demise?" Pan asked, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

"Why don't you drop the act, dearie?"

He stepped forward, clutching the box hard as he walked further towards Pan and Henry. Pan stepped past the boy, raising his chin as he stepped up to him.

"You. Yet another attempt at stopping me, yes, Rumple?"

"Our last," he assured him dryly.

"I should imagine so," Pan commented.

"Mr Gold!" Henry called out from behind his captor. "You're here as well?"

"He didn't you think you were," Pan informed him merrily. "Your family doesn't hold you in high esteem."

"I think that's off the point here," Rumple said coldly. "I can defeat you."

"Please," Pan threw out his arms in mocking defeat. "Humour me."

He held up his hand, displaying the object that would finally ensure Pan's defeat. Pan raised an amused eyebrow. "The Pandora's Box. Why, Rumple, attempting to trap me for all eternity?"

"To the end of time," he said, enforcing the message. "God knows, it's the least you deserve."

Pan narrowed his eyes, then smirked at him. "Well, we can't have that."

Pan waved his hand and effortlessly, the box left his hand. He screamed in outrage as the box reappeared in Pan's hand. "Neverland is mine," Pan said coldly.

"You will never defeat me here."

"Peter," the weak voice of the girl begged. "Please-"

"Quiet, Wendy," Pan scolded. "I'm ridding myself of problems. Have fun in hell, Rumple."

Pan moved to lift the lid and he could only watch in horror and despair. His last plan had failed and he had lost. Had lost Bae, and Henry, and his own happy ending, forever. Pan's fingers touched the lid just as a voice rang from the other end of the lift.

"Stop," Morgaine called out as she stepped into sight. "Right now."


	20. The Sun Also Rises

**Sorry for updating so irregularly, but I've been so busy... anyway, thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, alerted and to Forbidden Moons for reviewing :)**

* * *

><p><strong>The Sun Also Rises<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>I did it."<br>_

_"You did it?" I repeated. "Amazing. Show me-"  
><em>

_"It's just a little bit of paper and a few mixed things in a bottle," he scolded._

"_Still. That's a serious bit of magic you did there," I said. _

_Inwardly, I was switching between excited and desperate. Rumple had spent the last years trying to find a way to cross realms. Every bit that transported him was either too dangerous or did not enable him to bring any magic. For the past months, though, he had worked on something more advanced; as spell that would bring every inhabitant of this land to the land without magic – a spell that would transfer a whole world._

"_Well, I am the Dark One," he said, pulling me out of my thoughts._

"_Oh, don't brag," I said. _

_Excitement was what he wanted to see, though, and I was more than ready to show him exactly what he liked to see._

"_Explain in more detail," I begged. "What exactly will it do?"  
><em>

_"It will... transport all the citizens to the land without magic. Where they won't remember who they are-"_

"_But you will?"_

"_I will. And whoever enacts the curse will as well."  
><em>

_I frowned at him. "But you will-"_

"_No, I won't. Regina will."  
><em>

_"Regina?" I repeated. "The Evil Queen."_

"_The very one."_

"_Why-?"_

"_My business," he snapped good-naturedly. "No one will remember, no one will be able to leave or even return. No more happy endings."  
><em>

_"And how do you break that curse," I inquired. "So that you're able to find Bae?"_

"_I built in a loophole," he said merrily._

* * *

><p>With a swift movement, about the same that Pan had done just moments before, the box left Pan's grasp and reappeared in my hands. Calmly, I examined the object. That really had been Rumple's plan? The Pandora's Box? I had thought his whole new plan to be madness, but this was even madder than I had estimated.<p>

"Curious little thing," I mused. "Maybe we just leave it as it is."

Pan was watching me tentatively, but I noticed his eyes quickly drifting to Felix. "Take the heart," he hissed.

Felix started towards Baelfire but I sent him to his knees with a mere look. Now was not the time to squeamish. Felix gave a startled cry of pain and I turned my attention back to Pan.

"Nice try," I commented, walking forwards. "Not good enough, though."

Pan narrowed his eyes at me and suddenly reached out grabbing the boy. Rumple started forward, but I froze him with a flick of my wrist. He struggled, but I did not free him. This was not his fight to fight; I did not want or need his intervention.  
>The boy, too, struggled, but was no match for Pan, who was smirking at me.<p>

"Maybe I'll just kill Henry no matter what."

"Try it and your magic will be gone."

His smirk broadened. "Oh, you can't take it away, not without consequences. Not unless I endanger the balance. And killing a boy doesn't do that."

"I don't care about the consequences," I told him. "But maybe you do."

"Try me."

"No, you try me," I bit back. "Your magic will fade and with it, the power of everything you have ever enchanted, including your marvellous pipe. And wait – isn't that what ensures the hold you have on your boys? Right..."

I stepped even further towards him, and he tightened his hold on the boy, who continued to struggle even more vigorously.

"They'll return home, leave you behind. Not Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys, but just a lonely kid, trapped on an island, unable to ever outgrow his sorrow."

Our eyes met and I offered him a cold smile. "That'll be worth every consequence."

Pan stared for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "But the boy'll be dead," he said swiftly. "Will dear Rumple ever forgive you?"

I gritted my teeth. "We shall see."

"We shall," Pan hissed. He produced a knife out of nowhere and Henry let out a high pitched scream as it touched his neck.

I heard several desperate yells of "No!" and I was ready. Ready to end this if he so much as nicked the boy's skin.

"Please," Henry choked out. "Wendy – remember? This was about Wendy..."

I watched in astonishment as Pan, in fact, hesitated; eyes drifting over to the girl who had sat up, leaning on one of the boys for support. Right then, it was so very obvious that it was almost painful. The girl, of course. Heal the girl, which was only possible if he had enough magic; and he did not...

"Maybe," I said, smirking at Pan. "We can make a deal."

* * *

><p>"<em>That's it?" I said sceptically, examining the vial containing a purple substance. "Your loophole?"<em>

"_This is the most powerful thing that ever graced the walls of my castle."  
><em>

_"I was in here."  
><em>

_He rolled his eyes at me. "This is true love."  
><em>

_I raised an eyebrow and shot him an amused look. "You can't bottle love."  
><em>

_"I can. I did. A hair of Snow White and one of her beloved Prince Charming!"_

"_Rumple," I said, exasperated. "You can't. Mixing hairs together won't-"  
><em>

_"Don't you trust your teacher?"  
><em>

_I straightened slightly at the insult. "Of course I trust you."_

"_Then believe me," he sneered. "I have bottled true love. Incorporated it into my curse. When the time is right, our lovebirds' child will come and save the day!"_

_He gestured dramatically, causing me to giggle. He chuckled with me, but sobered very quickly._

"_And then," he concluded. "When the curse is broken, I will go and find my Baelfire."_

* * *

><p>"A deal?" Pan repeated. "I think you're confused as to who you are."<p>

I shrugged. "Fine. Then we'll just the girl die, I guess..."

I snapped my fingers, making Pan crumble in pain. The magic was eating away at me, I could feel it – taking on another versed magician like him was no easy task. Taking his magic, however, would cost much more. Henry darted away as soon as Pan's hold slackened. He rushed to join Emma and the others as fast as he could. I swiftly freed Rumple, who still scowled at me.

"Get Bae," I ordered. "This might get ugly."

"Morgaine-"

"Go," I snapped and then walked over to Pan, crouching next to him.

"Do you feel it slipping?" I inquired. "It's not too late, you know. You can save your girl."

"Not my girl," Pan ground out. "A friend."

I waved my hand dismissively. "Get a grip, boy."

"What do you want then?" he whispered harshly.

"I want them to be free to leave. No more ritual. No more keeping prisoners. You'll even give David a chance to leave."

"He's taken the cure," Pan said with an evil smile. "He can't leave."

"I'm sure you know a way around it."

Pan didn't answer and I narrowed my eyes. Maybe there was no other way.

Pan cried out at the new wave of pain. "Fine, fine! I know a way."

"Excellent," I said merrily. "I knew you would see reason."

"And in return?" he said through gritted teeth.

"In return what?"

"A deal, remember? What's your part?"

"Oh, that," I said. "I'll let you keep your magic. And I'll heal your girl. Deal?"

Pan glared at and I raised my eyebrows at him, smirking. "Deal," he hissed.

* * *

><p>"<em>What of the other realms?" I asked, still looking at the vial that presumably contained true love.<em>

_Rumpelstiltskin had moved on to sit at his spinning wheel and the turning stopped as he abruptly looked up to me. "What of them?"  
><em>

_"You said you'd transport everyone in this land to that other realm. But what of the others? Avalon? The land without colour? Wonderland? What will happen to those?"  
><em>

_"Why do you ask?"  
><em>

_"'Cause, if I'm about to lose my memories, I would rather be prepared."  
><em>

_"You won't," he said swiftly. "This curse will only hit this land."  
><em>

_I hoisted myself up to sit on the table, watching the simmering lilac liquid thoughtfully. "So Avalon will be as it's always been."  
><em>

_"Your apples are safe," he told me._

_I sighed lightly. "That's good."  
><em>

_"Is it? You look almost disappointed, dearie."  
><em>

_"You'll be gone," I said, looking up to meet his eyes. "You'll be gone and I'll be never able to follow you. I'll miss you."  
><em>

_"You're the Lady of the Lake. You have enough on your plate, you won't even have the time to pine over me."  
><em>

_"I'm not pining over you," I snapped, irritated. "Quite frankly, though, you're the only friend I have. I think I'm entitled to a bit of self-pity."_

"_If it helps anything," Rumple said without looking at me. "I might actually miss you a tiny bit myself. Of course, I have great plans to accomplish-"  
><em>

_"I understand," I said with a faint smile. "You're finding your son, that's more important than anything."_

* * *

><p><strong> We are getting into the final chapters of this story and I'd still love some reviews! Pretty please ;)?<strong>


	21. I Won't Say

**I'm sorry that I'm updating so irregularly. I'm still busy with my exams is all. But, after this there is only one chapter left, so I hope to get that out on Sunday and this story will be complete. Until then, enjoy this new chapter :)**

* * *

><p><strong>I Won't Say<strong>

* * *

><p>Pan was kneeling next to the girl who was staring at him with wide eyes. "But Peter, she-"<p>

"Don't you trust me?" Pan challenged and the girl swallowed hard.

"'Course I do."

"See," he said. "Morgaine's going to heal you. She promised."

"And I do keep my promises," I said gently, crouching down next to him.

The girl's eyes fluttered shut for a short moment and as they opened again, they were fixed on me. "You tried... to kill him..."

"No," I said. "I didn't. I just tried to stop him from killing Henry."

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes again.

"All right," I muttered.

I stretched out my hands and gently touched her temples. I tried to block everything else out; Pan's mistrusting glances, the murmuring of both his boys and Henry's rescue squad, my own exhaustion. I concentrated solely on letting the magic flow through my hands and into her body, hoping to let it touch every part of her form. I felt her sharp intake of breath rather than I felt it as the magic spread through her.  
>Very slowly, the girl gained colour and the bags underneath her eyes disappeared. I felt her heartbeat picking up to a healthy rhythm again and her breathing becoming steady.<p>

Wendy's eyes opened again and she met my gaze as I let my fingers drop from her temples.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Great," she breathed. "I feel great."

She broke into a smile and moved to sit up. Gently, I pushed her back down. "Do stay put for a bit," I advised. "I just pumped you full of magic, love, you're going to be a little dizzy."

She nodded quickly and her dazzling smile turned to Pan, whose smirk did not appear quite so evil just now.

* * *

><p>"<em>Why do you need that wand, anyway?" I complained, following him outside.<em>

"_I just want it, all right?"  
><em>

_"Heaven forbid you have an actual reason," I mocked._

_Rumple sneered at me, but he did not answer. Instead, he vanished without another word and rolling my eyes, I followed him. He had asked me to accompany him, probably only so I would not hold him up. And I, being the fool that I was, had agreed to come along. Kill a fairy, grab her wand. There was only so much entertainment one got these days.  
><em>_When I arrived at our destination, Rumple had already gotten rid of the entertainment, though. I sighed heavily as I watched him twiddling with the wand._

_Then my eyes focused on the girl staring at him. She was in rugs, her face and hands covered in ashes. She appeared to be quite close to tears as she exclaimed, "No need? You just killed my Fairy Godmother! She was trying to help me!"  
><em>

_"Was she?" Rumple asked. "Do you know what this is?"  
><em>

_"Pure magic," the girl said with glowing eyes._

"_Please," I scoffed, grabbing the wand from Rumple, who merely scowled at me._

"_Pure evil," he said to the girl. "Trust me. I've done you a favour. All magic comes with a price! Go on back to your life and thank you're lucky stars you've still got something to go back to."_

"_My life," the girl breathed. "It's wretched."_

"_Then change it," I said impatiently. "You can't handle this, anyway."_

"_Wait, please wait – I can handle it," the girl insisted. "Please, I will do anything to get out of here, anything."  
><em>

_Rumple's eyes met mine and he smirked. "Anything?"_

"_Do you know how to us the wand, Mr...?"  
><em>

_"Rumpelstiltskin," he said dramatically. "And yes, of course I do."_

"_Then help me," she implored him._

"_Well, if I do... and you can indeed shoulder the uh – consequences, then you'll owe me a favour."_

"_Name it, what do you want?"_

"_Something precious," Rumple announced._

"_I have nothing," the girl said._

"_Oh, but you will. With this wish will come riches more than you know."_

"_I care nothing for riches," the girl said. "I'll give you anything you want. Just get me out of here."  
><em>

_"Now, we're talking," Rumple said._

"_Well, how does it work?"  
><em>

_"Fear not! My needs are small, and all you have to do – is sign on the dotted line!" He flicked his wrist and magically unrolled the contract. "Do we have a deal?"  
><em>

_"Yes, yes, thank you!" the girl said, hurriedly signing the document._

_Rumple giggled and held his hand out for the wand. "Uh – no offense," I said. "But I assume she wants to go to the ball."  
><em>

_"Yes," the girl said._

"_So?" Rumple said impatiently._

"_Well, unless you want to dress her in leather – which might be inappropriate – I suggest you better let me handle this."_

_I waved the wand and watched contently as her rags turned into a beautiful ball gown, her face cleaned up and her hair tangled into a masterful updo._

"_There."  
><em>

_"Glass?" the girl whispered, looking at her slippers._

"_Every story needs a memorable detail," I said with a shrug. _

"_Now you have a good time," Rumple said merrily. "But be sure to watch the clock!"_

* * *

><p>I joined the others that had sat down at the very edge of the hilltop, as far as possible away from Pan and his Lost Boys.<p>

"As soon as we're ready, he'll let you leave," I informed them. "Even David. He's got a talisman that will let him pass through the realms. I'm sure you can brew a cure when you're back at your supplies, Rumple."

He nodded swiftly as the rest of the group exchanged relieved, but tentative glances.

"All right," I said. "How about you let all that anger and indignation out right now, so we can all move on?"

"You betrayed us," Emma said. "You made up this entire plan behind our back-"

"To save Henry."

"You risked all our lives!"

"Why, dearie that's not quite true," I snapped. "As a matter of fact, we risked the life of exactly two people, namely Baelfire, and surprise! Me. Of the top of my head, I could name you various moments on which this could have backfired on me and get me killed. So don't tell me I risked your life. I risked my life for you, just out of the goodness of my heart."

She swallowed hard and raised her head. "Your measures don't exactly show that you have a good heart."

"Drastic times, drastic measures."

"You were ready to sacrifice me!" Hook exclaimed and sighing, I turned to look at him.

"We've been over this."

"I understand it from the crocodile – what have I done to you?"

"Nothing," I said. "In fact, I think you're a nice enough guy."

Bewildered, Snow White shook her head. "And I was defending you all the time and now..."

"Now what? I never said I was a good person," I said. "Good, bad, that's all very relative, isn't it? We saved Henry, you can all go home, you're alive and well. I really don't see what you're complaining about."

She turned to look at Rumple, who did not look as though he agreed with me.

"What?"

"Maybe we should apologize," he suggested gently.

"Apologize?" I repeated. "Who are you?"

"Look, Morgaine-"

"No, I don't look," I said swiftly. "I really don't see how I became the bad guy."

At loss for an answer, Rumpelstiltskin remained silent. I turned to Hook and asked, "So? Do you want me to fix your ship?"

* * *

><p><em>I bowed with a mocking smirk while Rumple did the same. The music was playing loud and all the other attendants seemed oblivious to our presence. Did no one wonder what we were doing here? It seemed so foolish that they did not pay attention. Anyone could walk in here.<em>

_Rumple pulled me a little closer as we started to dance, which was far more complicated with skirts that big than it usually was. He, of course, was graceful as ever. He tightened his grip to keep me from tripping and I glared at his wide grin._

"_It's not funny."  
><em>

_"Why, dearie, I think it is."_

"_Since when can you dance, anyway?"_

_He shrugged, his eyes suddenly fixing on something behind me._

"_What do you want from her, then?" I inquired._

_He grinned again, though this time it was far more malicious. "Her child."  
><em>

_"Her child," I repeated as we spun around. "What do you want with a child?"  
><em>

_"It's not that I want the child," he explained impatiently. _

"_But what?"_

"_I see the future, remember?" he sneered. "I just do what I have to do to get where I want to be."_

"_And you want to be in a nursery?" I guessed._

"_No," he growled. "I told you, I don't want the child. I won't get it either."  
><em>

_"No one breaks deals with you," I said, studying him. "So – how...?"  
><em>

_"You'll just have to wait and see," he said. "Excuse me."  
><em>

_He left me standing right there on the dance floor to join the bride instead. I huffed, a little put off by his display._

"_Miss?"  
><em>

_I looked up to find myself face to face with the prince himself. I offered him the sweetest and most fake smile I could muster. "Your highness. Congratulations on the wonderful wedding."  
><em>

_"Why, thank you. Though I doubt the success of our party if you're all alone on the dance floor. Do you care to dance?"  
><em>

_"No, Sir, thank you," I said with a casual glance to Cinderella's horrified face across the room. "I think me and my escort are about to leave."  
><em>

_He seemed a little confused, but smiled and bowed politely. "In this case I thank you for attending, Miss-?"  
><em>

_I did not bother to answer his rather obvious question and instead told him, "Goodnight, your highness. I wish you the best of luck."_

_Heaven knew he could use it._

* * *

><p>Hook had wanted me to fix his ship. Of course he had. No love more powerful than the one a pirate had for his ship. He led us through the forest with most of the group stomping after him, fuming. Granted, maybe all that plotting and scheming had been a bit out of line. Then again, we had achieved what we had set out to do and even better, no one had died in the process.<p>

More importantly, why did I have to carry all the blame? Rumple had been just as much a part of the plan as I had. How was all this my fault?

"They'll come around, you know?"

I turned my head to send a surprised look at Henry, who had apparently fallen back to walk next to me.

"I don't depend on the appreciation of your parents, honey. It's quite all right."

He considered that for a moment till he suddenly said, "I know you did it all to save me."

"Kid, no offense, but I don't even know you, I-"

"Right. But you still helped. It's what heroes do."

I snorted. "I'm no hero."

He rolled his eyes. "Mr Gold always says that, too," he informed me. "But he's still here."

I smiled at him, shaking my head slightly. "You're quite a handful, aren't you?"

"So I've heard."

I quite believed that.

"Thank you," the boy said abruptly. "Without you, my dad would be dead. And I, as well."

"Why, Henry," I said, taken aback by the unexpected gratefulness. "You're quite welcome."

* * *

><p>"<em>You're starting to show."<br>_

_The girl whirled around, baffled to see me leaning against the side of the pavilion. The initial shock faded from her face and she squared her shoulders. "I wanted to speak to Rumpelstiltskin."  
><em>

_"So I've heard," he announced from behind her and she turned again._

_I saw her take a deep breath before she nodded. "I'd like to alter the bargain."  
><em>

_"That's not what I do," Rumple informed her._

"_But I think you'll want to," Cinderella insisted. "I'm having twins."  
><em>

_"Is that so?" I said, walking around. "You're willing to give them both up? Why?"  
><em>

_"My husband... he's... he's having a hard time," she said weakly. "Our kingdom is poor. We're losing money. Our crops are dying. We can't support ourselves or our people."  
><em>

_"And you would trade your other child for... comfort?" Rumple inquired._

"_I can always have more children," she said, her voice suddenly firm. "But I can't make crops grow where the soil is dead." She reached into her mantle and pulled out a scroll. "In exchange for our other child, you will see to it that our land is once again fertile. I think it's more than fair."  
><em>

_"Yes," Rumple breathed. "Yes, yes, it is. If what you're saying is true."  
><em>

_"It is, and all you have to do is sign on the dotted line."  
><em>

_She reached into her cape again and produced a quill, handing it to him._

"_What a lovely quill!" he exclaimed. "Wherever did you get it?"_

_She swallowed hard. "It's from our castle."_

_"You know, the only way to stop me is through magic."_

_She laughed, but it sounded incredibly forced. "I'm not trying to stop you."  
><em>

_"Of course you're not... because as we all know, all magic comes with a price, and if you were to use it to say – imprison me, then your debt to me would only grow, and we wouldn't want that now, would we?"_

"_Just sign the contract, please," she whispered._

_He raised the quill to sign, but I caught his wrist. Our eyes met and I took in the determination, the hidden glee in his gaze. _

"_Sure?"  
><em>

_"Yes."_

_I narrowed my eyes at him but let go and he swiftly signed the contract. The eerie blue glow spread quicker than I could watch. The girl called out for her husband, while Rumple mouthed to me, "Go!"_

_I shook my head frantically, but the raised voices and the carriage approaching quickly convinced me otherwise. "I'll be back," I assured him before blending into the shadows to watch as the guards dragged him away._

* * *

><p><strong>Review, pretty please :)<strong>


	22. The Price

**I'm on time, can you believe it ;)?  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Price<strong>

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><p>The ship still swayed, turned over as it was, just off the coast of Neverland. Hook tried his best to keep his face neutral, but his suffering was obvious.<p>

"No offense to your skills or anything," he said. "But I have my doubts."

I huffed. "I'm insulted. I promised you to fix it. Do you think I'd break my promises?"

"Quite frankly-"

"Don't," I said, holding up a hand to interrupt him. "I don't want to hear it."

He looked around and finally said, "You know... I kind of understand why you did all that. And say you do manage to save my ship-"

"Which I will."

"-Then I'd be more than willing to forgive you."

I sent him an amused smirk. "And here I feared you'd always hold a grudge."

"Ah, us villains need to stick together," he informed me and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Speaking of villains... Rumple? Regina? I'd need a hand."

Regina only very reluctantly parted with her son, but followed Rumple over to the edge of the cliff where I was waiting. "I'm a little exhausted," I informed them. "But I guess together it would not be a problem."

"Fine," Regina said. "Let's do it."

* * *

><p>"<em>What are you doing?"<em>

_I looked up to Adriane, who had walked in and watched with crossed arms as I dug through our stash._

"_I'm looking for Squid Ink," I told her swiftly, pushing away a few bottles with herbs._

"_What do you need that for?"  
><em>

_"Not telling," I said, reaching deeper into the cupboard._

"_Is this because of Rumpelstiltskin?" she inquired. "We heard the Dark One was trapped-"  
><em>

_"By a foolish girl who refused to honour deals."  
>"They say he wanted her child!" she said indignantly. <em>

"_She had promised it," I said curtly. "Deals, contracts, if you will, are the basis of every functioning society-"  
><em>

_"So he says," Adriane sneered. "I had hoped you were able to think for yourself by now."_

"_I'm thinking for myself, thank you very much." My fingers closed around a bottle at the far back and I pulled it out, grinning in triumph._

"_Found it."_

_She glared at me defiantly. "You can't go and give away Avalon's treasures," she scolded. "The Elder's Council-"  
><em>

_"I am the Lady," I said tiredly. "I'll do with this whatever I see fit."  
><em>

_"Morgaine-"_

"_Have a good day, Adriane," I said, brushing past her. She turned around to follow me, but I had already left for the Enchanted Forest._

* * *

><p>Hook watched in fascination as slowly, the ship turned over, the masts build up, the sails melted together again.<p>

I watched as well, but less with fascination but with concentration. My one hand was wrapped around Rumple's and the other hand was firmly in Regina's grasp. The latter had closed her eyes and kept muttering silently while her magic flooded into me and then out of me again to fix the ship.

I watched as the very last sail unravelled. The ship appeared to be as good as new, now. I stole a side glance at Rumple, who nodded at me swiftly.

"Good," I breathed and let go of both of them. Regina's eyes flew open and her lips drew into a smirk as she regarded the ship.

"We can go home," she said.

"Soon," I assured her. "We just have to wait for Pan to bring the cure."

"Do you trust him?" she asked grimly.

"No one breaks deals with me," I informed her with a light smile, causing Rumple to chuckle. "Not even Peter Pan."

She huffed and walked off, joining Henry and his parents again.

"She looks good," Hook commented to me, grinning widely. "Thank you."

"No matter," I said. "Just beware of the mermaids now."

"We'll manage," he said. He nodded at me and then, too, went to join Emma.

"So," Rumple said. "Looks like you're not the bad guy anymore."

"At least not for him," I nodded.

He smiled wryly. "Maybe I should be insulted that you're fraternizing with the enemy."

I chuckled. "Love, you know if it came down to it-"

"Yes, I know," he said quickly. "When will Pan be here?"

"Don't know. But I told him to hurry."

* * *

><p><em>With a muttered spell, the guards both dropped down and fell into deep sleep. I quickly checked that they really were unconscious and then slipped past them deeper into the darkness.<em>

_Now, I understood precautions. I understood magic and reinforced cells and guards. I did not understand why there could be no light. Within the shortest time, no one would have any feel for night and day or time as such, for that matter. Kept in utter darkness, the loneliness must be even worse. I looked around to make sure that there were no more guards present. Obviously, though, they were still afraid, even though he was confined securely. They did not dare go near him._

"_Rumple?" I called cautiously. "Rumpelstiltskin?"  
><em>

_"Right here, dearie!" He suddenly stepped into the light of my weakly torch and wrapped his hands around the bars._

"_Hey," I whispered. "Are you... are you all right?"  
><em>

_"Just peachy," he snapped._

_I swallowed hard. "Why, excuse me," I said. "I don't really-"  
><em>

_"What are you doing here, Morgaine?" _

_I stepped closer, reaching into my bag to pull out the ink. "I've brought you something."  
><em>

_He cackled madly as he examined the bottle. "Squid Ink? Whatever am I supposed to do with that?"  
><em>

_"Whatever you want," I said calmly. "It would, of course, enable you to break out."  
><em>

_"I don't want to break out," he sneered. "I'm exactly where I want to be."  
><em>

_I stepped even closer and he snatched the bottle from my grasp._

"_It might still be useful."  
><em>

_"Rumple, please," I said. "You, in here, I-"  
><em>

_"Do stop stuttering," he scolded. "And don't worry."  
><em>

_"I can't help but do just that."  
><em>

_"Dearie, this is where I need to be. Beside, soon, the curse is coming! And we'll all be gone." He stepped back, raising his hand dramatically. "No more happy endings."_

_I sighed heavily, but nodded. "Well, think about it," I advised. "I'll be back."_

* * *

><p>"Here," Pan said gruffly, pushing a vial into my hand.<p>

"Why thank you, Peter, dear," I said with a smile. "It's very generous of you."

He pulled a face. "You got what you wanted. Leave my island."

"Oh, we will," I said, my smile dropping. "But I'll be back to check on the girl. See, if I find out that she doesn't want to be here-"

"She does," he snapped. "I'm not keeping Wendy prisoner."

"I hope that," I said. "Otherwise I might be forced to intervene. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good," I said, holding up the vial. "Pixie dust?"

"Just put it on the sail," he grumbled. "Neverland will do the rest for you."

"And about David?" I asked.

"Right," Pan hissed and held out an amulet for me. "That'll keep him safe for a while. But I wouldn't wait to long."

"Duly noted," I nodded. "Thank you."

Again, he frowned. "You have nothing to thank me for. A deal's a deal. However forced it may be."

"You know what your problem is? You need to grow up," I told him.

He sneered but never answered. Instead, he disappeared right from the spot. I sincerely hoped I would not have to see him again for a long while.

* * *

><p>"<em>Who's Emma?" I inquired. <em>

_Rumple did not even bother to look up, the scratching of his quill never stopped as he answered, "She's very important."  
><em>

_"Is she?" I said. "Important enough to waste that precious ink?"  
><em>

_"It's not wasted," he explained. "I'm leaving it exactly where it will be needed."  
><em>

_I huffed, stepping closer to the bars. "You could've gotten out."  
><em>

_"I told you I don't want to get out."  
><em>

_I sighed heavily. "Rumple, please-"  
><em>

_"Look, you shouldn't be here, dearie," he said, finally putting the scroll away and getting up. "The curse is coming."  
><em>

_"Maybe I should stay," I suggested._

"_The Lady is needed here. Trust me, you're not supposed to be in this new land."  
><em>

_"Will we meet again, then?" I asked, trying to force back the tears that desperately wanted to be shed._

"_We'll see, I guess."_

_I took a deep, shuttering breath, attempting to hide my weariness from him._

"_You still owe me a favour," I said abruptly. _

"_Do I?"  
><em>

_"Yes," I said, turning back to him. "For the scrolls, remember?"  
><em>

_"And here I was thinking you had forgotten."  
><em>

_"I never forget my deals," I said lightly. "You taught me that."  
><em>

_Once again, his fingers wrapped around the bars, directly in front of me. It was ironic, I thought, that the strongest cell in this land looked so flimsy, the bars far enough apart for him to put his head and his arms through. _

"_What do you want, then?" he inquired.  
><em>

_I swallowed hard, looking up at him. "Just a tiny thing," I whispered, stepping even closer._

_He narrowed his eyes at me and I took a deep breath before closing the distance between us. I gathered every bit of courage I had to press my lips against his. _

_I took him several, painful seconds to respond in which heart dropped deep. Then, though, his hand shot through the bars and tangled itself in my hair. He pulled me even closer until I was pressed firmly against the bars, his lips moving insistently over mine. My heart, previously fallen, had suddenly risen to an accelerated pattern. _

_He pulled back and I opened my eyes just in time to see as he leant forward again to press another quick kiss on my lips. _

_I did not dare to meet his eyes and instead stepped back as his hand slid from my hair. _

"_Morgaine," he whispered and I shook my head._

"_Farewell, Rumpelstiltskin."_

* * *

><p>Apart from Rumple and Regina, everyone had found a place in the small rowboat. We had said our goodbyes, most of them rather curtly, though they had set a considerably more friendly tone.<p>

Regina nodded to me. "I... uh... thank you. For helping Henry."

"He's a good boy," I complimented. "I'm glad he's fine."

She nodded, smiling tightly. "Well, then... goodbye."

"Take care, Regina."

She turned to Rumple. "Are you coming, Gold?"

"I'll be there in a second," he said.

Regina looked between him and me and then rolled her eyes. "You just remember Belle."

"Oh, I will," he sneered.

She raised an eyebrow and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Dramatic," I muttered.

"She tends to be."

I chuckled lightly and looked away to watch the rowboat gliding towards Hook's ship. I bit my lip and turned to Rumple again.

"You still owe me a favour."

He tensed. "Do I?"

"Yes. See, I... never forget my deals," I said quietly. "You taught me that."

He smiled wryly. "Look, Morgaine, I've got my girl-"

"I know," I interrupted him quickly. "I know that. Which is why I'm not going to collect."

His eyebrows furrowed and I stepped forward to touch his cheek.

"I love you," I said. "You know that. And I want you to be... so happy. I want you to go home and do everything not to screw up. This girl, Belle, she's the one. I would never want to stand in the way of true love."

"So... you think you don't truly feel love."

"True love isn't real unless it is returned," I told him, smiling sadly.

"Morgaine-"

"No, don't try to make this better. I know you'll be fine. You've got your family, you've got her, you're all alive and well. I could wish for nothing more," I told him.

He sighed heavily and then reached out to hug me closely. I let out a shaky laugh as I clung to him.

"You need to go..."

"That I do," he muttered. Rumple stepped back and looked over to the ship.

"But you know," he added. "We'll see each other again. I will never get rid of you."

* * *

><p><strong>This is the last chapter, the story is complete. Thanks to everyone who read and fav'd and followed and especially to Forbidden Moons who reviewed so faithfully.<strong>


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